Summer storms slammed several provinces in the North, Northeast, East, Central and Bangkok on Tuesday (April 17), flattening several power supply poles, uprooting trees and blowing off roof tiles, and bill boards.
In Nakhon Ratchasima, the summer storm that came with heavy rains and gusty winds dumped huge water in hilly areas in Sikhiu district and caused flashflood on the Frienship Highway at Lam Takhong dam.
The flashflood caused the already heavy car traffic passing the Lam Takhong dam to a stanstill, stranding the inbound traffic to Bangkok for over 10 kilometres long.
Highway police were forced to open a lane on the outbound traffic for vehicles to avoid the submerged section of the highway.
But for vehicles which already arrived at the submerged section of the highway, they had no choice but awaiting for the floods to recede, forming a long line of vehicles stretching over 10 kilometres till late in the afternoon.
In Bangkok, summer storms hit most parts of the capital with rains, thunders, lightnings, and gusty winds from late morning until afternoon.
In Phitsanulok, several houses in many districts were damaged when strong wind blew off roofs while power poles, communications poles, and trees were uprooted by severe weather causing blacked out in many areas.
Several cars were also damaged when debris from house roofs, broken tree branches, or billboards falling on them during the rain storms.
Local authorities reported summer storms started about 4.30am until 5 am on Tuesday.
In the northern province of Chiang Rai, 16 districts were hard-hit by storms.
Initial reports said more than 1,000 houses were damaged.
Phaitoon Naktae, director of Chiang Rai disaster prevention and mitigation office, reported that fallen trees blocked several roads in five districts, and power blackout was reported in Mae Fah Luang district.
Freak storm also obstructed traffice on Chiang Rai-Mae Suai road in Mae Suai district. Several houses in six villages were also damaged.
In the eastern province of Chachoengsao, a driver Komol Saowangka, 49, was killed when a powerful pole brought down by summer storm last night fell on his pickup truck while he was driving home with his wife on the Phanom Sarakham-Sanam Chai Khet road.
His wife was seriously injured.
A dozen of power poles on the road were flattened by wind, causing widespread power blackout in Phanom Sarakham town, according to police.
In Phichit, sumer storms wreaked havoc to 7 districts, damaging hundreds of houses, schools and temples.
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