Stormy weather wreaks havoc, destroys homes, in southern Thailand

The current stormy conditions have caused severe damage to a number of homes in the southern province of Surat Thani, with some villagers left homeless. At one property in the Phra Sang district, the roof and garage have collapsed, with the 45 year old homeowner, Rachan Churak, having to flea the property with his family.

Rachan says the damage occurred after 2 hours of sustained strong winds that he says was like nothing he’s ever experienced before. He says when his roof tiles started flying off one by one, he decided to evacuate the property with his family and shelter under a tree until morning. They are now staying with a relative while local officials carry out repairs to their home.

Meanwhile, a second home in the same district has also lost its roof and sustained extensive damage due to a tree collapsing on it. 37 year old Pennapa says the tree fell after strong winds had already taken the roof off her house, causing extensive damage to every room in the property. Officials have budgeted 20,000 baht for repairs to the woman’s house, while local villagers have also rallied to help complete the work.

One village chief says many homes in the area have been severely damaged or destroyed. It’s understood a total of 8 villages have borne the brunt of the storm, with at least 40 properties damaged, and 2 homes totally destroyed. Local officials are busy carrying out repairs to properties, while the Provincial Electricity Authority works on fixing damaged power poles to restore the electricity supply.

SOURCE: Thai Residents