Summer storms on way

Tropical storms have been forecast for the last half of next month as summer is here and bringing hot and humid weather conditions by day in most parts of the country, the Meteorological Department warned yesterday.

Some high-pressure ridges are forecast to spread from China into upper Thailand, which may trigger thunderstorms, strong winds, and hailstorms in certain areas of the country, the department said.

The average maximum temperatures are expected to hit 40C-42C, particularly in the North and the Northeast in the last half of March, the department said. They might fall in the event of rain.

Last week, close to 2,700 households in 51 districts of 23 provinces were affected by stormy winds occurring between Thursday and Saturday, Chayapol Thitisak, director-general of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, said yesterday.

One death was reported during that period when houses and agricultural areas were damaged by the strong winds, he said.

No estimate was available as to extent of the damage.

Following t hese i ncidents, t he department ordered its disaster prevention and mitigation centres to stay on high alert and closely monitor the weather forecast, he said.

People living in risk areas should also watch out for possible trouble alert and disaster relief teams should be prepared to deploy to affected areas immediately in the event of unruly weather, he said.

Members of the public are being advised to stay away from tall trees, outdoor billboards and ramshackle buildings during a storm, he said.