Provinces, Bangkok hit by heavy rain
By Boonchoo Sritraiphop,
Sutthiphong Saterangsee
The Nation on Sunday
Published on April 24, 2011
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2011/04 ... 53796.html
Rainstorms could persist for next couple of days
Many areas of the country, including Bangkok, will remain under the threat of rainstorms for the next couple of days, the Meteorological Department warned yesterday.
In its warning on summer storms issued yesterday, the agency said that many parts of Thailand, particularly the upper parts, were still covered with high-pressure ridges from China. This condition could result in summer storms in the North, the Northeast, the eastern seaboard region, and the Central region, including the capital.
Rainstorms could occur, with strong winds and the possibility of hailstorms in some areas from yesterday through tomorrow, according to the Meteorological Department.
Heavy rains hit many areas of Bangkok yesterday afternoon, causing severe flooding and traffic congestion on several important roads, including Phaholyothin, Ratchadaphisek, Chaeng Wattana, Kaset-Nawamin and Ngarmwo-ngwan.
The accompanying strong winds also caused electricity blackouts while in some areas trees were toppled.
In Chaiyaphum, His Majesty the King yesterday granted 440 relief bags to storm-affected residents in Kaeng Khro district.
Summer storms hit 13 tambons in eight districts early last week, including Kaeng Khro. The storm damaged 600 households, of which 440 are in tambon Ban Kaeng and tambon Nong Song of the district. Phorn Udomphong, head of the training department of the Rajaprajanugroh Foundation, handed out the relief bags to the 440 households in the two tambons at tambon Nong Song Municipality on behalf of the King.
Governor Jarin Jakkapak is seeking a budget from the Chaiyaphum Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office to repair 397 houses. The damage has been estimated at Bt1.5 million. The amount will be allocated next week to repair those houses.
Meanwhile, five residences were destroyed after a thunderstorm hit Loei's Chiang Khan and Nong Hin districts. The victims were given initial assistance, according to the Loei Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office.
In Saraburi, two hours of downpours led to heavy flooding in Kaeng Khoi district yesterday afternoon. Some sections of the Mitraphap Highway, which connects the Northeast with the Central region, were inundated due to floodwater coming down from nearby hills.
In the Central region province of Angthong, a slippery road caused by heavy rain was blamed yesterday for an accident in which a trailer truck slammed into a row of houses in Muang district.
The front part of the houses were damaged and a falling awning collapsed onto a car and a motorcycle parked below. There were no reports of injuries.
The truck driver, Banjerd Ketpong, said that while his vehicle was at a bend, the trailer at the rear swerved and hit a nearby power pole. The impact caused his truck to hit a pillar of the garage, causing its awning to collapse.
