A VIOLENT storm hit a southern Chumphon district at dawn today (July 17) and destroyed hundreds of rai of durian and rubber plantations, INN News said.
The fierce storm, which brought torrential rain along with it, lasted till 10 am and caused widespread damage across Pangwan subdistrict in the province’s Pathio district, Khomtawan Sarangkaew, village headman of Pangwan subdistrict said.
Durian fruit that were ready to be harvested fell across the district and many houses destroyed when nearby trees fell on them.
Moreover Pathio district is in a valley surrounded by high hills and the storm triggered forest runoffs which added to the victims’ misery but officials have gone out to help them.
Khomtawan said the loss from the destruction of durian fruit and trees would be many million baht because one durian tree can generate 100,000 baht.
However, as official compensation is calculated in terms of the land held per person and not the number of trees, some farmers would not get any compensation at all.
Meanwhile the Thai Meteorological Department issued a warning today that tropical storm Talas is now in Laos and just 40 kilometers away from northern Nan province.
It is packing maximum sustained winds of 65 km/hr and is forecast to become a tropical depression and will move to cover the upper North this evening (July 17).
At the same time a strong southwest monsoon over the Andaman Sea brings abundant rain with torrential downpours over much of the country.
There will be strong waves on both sides of the South with this being as high as two to three meters and all ship should proceed with caution while small boats should not set sail for Andaman Sea.
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Top and inset: The destruction wrought by a storm in Chumphon this morning. Photos: INN News
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