Hailstorm wrecks school, house roofs in Bueng Kan
A hailstorm in Bueng Kan province’s Bueng Khong Long district damaged schools and houses on Monday (May 11), according to a news reporter, as the weather bureau warned of likely thunderstorms in upper Thailand.
“The province has been a under hot spell of more than 40 degrees Celsius for weeks, but today a hailstorm came down hard and damaged several houses and schools,” a villager was quoted as saying. “Hailstones the size of a Bt5 coin punched holes through old roofs.”
Meanwhile, other villagers said unsecured roofs of buildings comprising Bueng Khong Long Witthaya School were blown away by the storm and landed in a football field.
“Luckily the school is closed due to the Covid-19 crisis, so there were no injuries,” one villager added.
Local authorities are inspecting buildings and houses in Bueng Khong Long and other districts to estimate the damage and provide appropriate assistance.
The Meteorological Department warned that from May 12 to 13, summer storms accompanied by lighting strikes and gusty winds are likely to hit upper Thailand, while hail is possible in some areas of the North, the Northeast, the East, and the Central region. It advised people in upper Thailand to be aware of incoming severe weather and steer clear of large trees and unsecured buildings, while farmers should be prepared to prevent crop damage.
