Thai hailstorm causes 3 million baht damage, kills 21,000 chickens

A devastating hailstorm, with stones as large as chicken eggs, wreaked havoc in Chaiyaphum, causing widespread damage, including significant losses for a local poultry farm where power outages led to a tragic number of chicken deaths. The storm, which occurred yesterday, May 4, also resulted in damaged homes and infrastructure, with preliminary estimates placing the cost at over 3 million baht.

As the summer storm swept through the Phu Kheaw district of Chaiyaphum, residents scrambled for cover from the unusually large hailstones that pelted the area. The storm’s intensity was such that it caused long-standing trees to topple and roofs to be ripped from buildings. The Pak Pang district and the Ban Kheaw district suffered particularly heavy impacts, with the latter witnessing the destruction of over 50 homes and community water supply tanks.

Among the most severely affected was Somsak Farm, a poultry operation that saw its chicken housing structures decimated by the storm. The farm’s owner, 39 year old Kalya Waenthip, was left distraught as the farm’s entire electrical system failed, leading to over 21,000 chickens succumbing to the oppressive heat due to the lack of ventilation. In an attempt to mitigate the losses, locals were enlisted to help distribute the perished chickens for food within the community, reported KhaoSod.

Kalya described the heartbreaking scene as she witnessed parts of the farm’s roof tear away during the storm. In the aftermath, nearly the entire farm was damaged, with the loss of property and livestock estimated at around 3 million baht (US$82,000). Efforts were made to cool the surviving chickens with water and arrangements were put in place to have a company remove the remaining birds.

In related news, the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) announced severe summer storms are set to strike northern Thailand. The storms are expected to impact the region from May 3 to May 7, bringing heavy rains, hail in some areas, and strong gusts of wind.