Summer storms hit many Thai areas

THAILAND, March 9 (TNA) - Many areas in the upper part of Thailand have been affected by summer storms, causing damages to houses and electric poles. In the northeastern Nakhon Ratchasima Province, heavy rain and gushing wind struck several districts on March 9, felling 16 high voltage power poles along Ratchasima-Dan Khuntod Road and causing power lines and 14-meter concrete poles to block two lanes of the four-lane road for 1.5 kilometers and to force motorist to divert to use the rest two traffic lanes. The incident, in which a motorcycle was also damaged and the driver sustained a minor injury, caused a blackout in many villages in the radius of 20 kilometers in Kham Talaesor and Dan Khun Tod Districts. In the Lower Northern Uthai Thani Province, local officials in Sawang Arom District were conducting a survey on damages, following Thursday night’s summer storm, which affected 40 local houses in three sub-districts, as the roofs of several houses were swept away by the turbulent wind, while up to 10 barns and pens, as well as sugar cane plantations were also destroyed. The local officials will report the results of the survey to their provincial authorities to seek for an assistance budget. (TNA)