Sudden hail storm slams Loei homes

Cave-in triggers hospital evacuation

Almost 300 houses and a hospital in Loei province were damaged by a hail storm on Sunday, according to local authorities.

In Chiang Khan district, the storm, which struck at 6.30pm and lasted about an hour, tore roofs off and damaged the structures of around 100 buildings including vintage residences and the local hospital.

In nearby Wang Saphung district, 188 houses were also damaged.

Assawin Hinthao, deputy chief of Chiang Khan district, said as well as damaging some landmark buildings in the area, the hail also caused the ceiling of one patient’s room in Chiang Khan Hospital to nearly cave in, prompting an immediate evacuation of several buildings at the facility.

Doctor Rapeepan Chanouan, the director of the hospital, said four of the five buildings were severely damaged, which led to the temporary closure of the emergency room.

The district chief of Wang Saphung, Prayoon Aranrut, reported the hail storm damaged 188 houses, two temples and a school across eight tambons.

In addition, he said, the community hall was hit by a falling tree and will need to be repaired before it could reopen.

Hail storms also hit the lower northeastern region.

In Surin, 17 houses and a community barn in Chumphon Buri district were damaged by strong winds and rain.

One villager said the storm was the most destructive he had witnessed in the area in a decade.

Meanwhile, the Thai Meteorological Department has forecast more tropical storms will hit until at least Sunday in the upper parts of the country.

In Bangkok and its vicinity, the department predicts continued hot weather and storms over 20-30% of the total area.

The weather bureau also warned of scattered heavy rainfall in the South next week.