Heavy rain hits many provinces

SI SA KET, May 22 (TNA) – Torrential rain and strong wind swept across the upper part of the country, causing damage to houses and farmlands in wide areas in the North, the Northeast and the East. In the northeastern province of Si Sa Ket, local authorities inspected damage on houses in six districts. The hardest-hit district was Kanthararom district, in which, 66 houses in a village were destroyed and big trees felled onto some houses. Barns, cattle stalls and farmlands were damaged. One villager was killed by lightning. In the northeastern province of Ubon Ratchathani, a warehouse, storing cassava was damaged by a storm. Its roof was swept away by strong wind. Forty houses in three districts were damaged. Soldiers have helped repair some damaged houses and built temporary shelters for affected villagers. In the northern province of Chiang Mai, about 100 households in Mae-on district were affected by a storm. Soldier cleared debris and removed felled trees and broken electric poles from damaged houses. Local authorities sent construction materials to repair houses. Survey is being conducted on damage to farmland and further assistance will be provided to help villagers. In the eastern province of Chanthaburi, durian orchards in Kitchakut district were damaged by a heavy storm. About one tonne of durians, which will be soon harvested, have been destroyed. The damage costs about one million baht. (TNA)