Summer storm wreaks havoc in Hat Yai, southern Thailand
The city of Hat Yai in Songkhla was hit by a severe summer storm yesterday, resulting in significant damage to public infrastructure. Billboards and electricity poles were toppled by the powerful gale. The incident occurred at 3pm, yesterday, May 5, and was covered by local media. Remarkably, despite the storm’s intensity, no injuries or fatalities were reported.
The destructive storm caused more than ten electricity poles to collapse, one of which struck a pickup truck carrying five passengers. Miraculously, everyone in the vehicle escaped unscathed. The local media in Hat Yai highlighted this near miss, emphasising the potential danger storms of this nature can pose.
In response to the havoc caused by the storm, Hat Yai Municipality issued an advisory to its locals, indicating the Manohra intersection area as a danger zone. This was a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of both drivers and pedestrians who might be at risk due to the damaged infrastructure, said Sakorn Thongmunee, the Mayor of Hat Yai City.
“The situation requires immediate attention and remedial action.”
Sakorn has been coordinating with the Provincial Electricity Authority of Hat Yai and other relevant agencies to assess the extent of the damage and to plan for necessary reparations.
The incident has drawn the attention of the governor of Songkhla, who has put the matter at the top of his agenda. The governor has called for assistance from all sectors to address the aftermath of the storm and to plan for future incidents, reported Pattaya News.
The Mayor of Hat Yai City reiterated the Governor’s sentiments.
“We must work together to prevent such incidents from happening again. The safety of our locals is our top priority.”
As the city recovers from the aftermath of the storm, the focus now shifts towards rebuilding and reinforcing the city’s infrastructure to better withstand such incidents in the future.
