LAMPANG, 24 April 2013 The drought situation continues to exacerbate, with water sources drying up. Meanwhile, storms pounded several provinces in the northern region last night, tearing off the roofs of many homes.
In Don Fai sub-district, Mae Tha district, Lampang province, roofs were blown away from many homes and downed trees crashed onto many others when the storm passed through. Locals said everybody was asleep when suddenly violent gusts blew in, forcing them to take shelter on the ground floor of their homes. Residents from around 100 households have so far lodged their plights with the local administrative organization, and the latter has arranged to purchase 500 roof tiles for initial distribution to the households.
In Inthaburi district, Singburi province, the storm caused a century-old bhodi tree to fall onto electricity poles, resulting in a full night of blackout for homes in Mu 4 of the district. Municipal officials had to restore power by hooking up power cords in a temporary manner, before all the debris can be cleared.
In the meantime, drought continues to eat away the livelihood of people in Nakhon Sawan. The confluence where Yom and Nan rivers meet in Ban Koei Chai in Chumsaeng district has dried up to the point very little water remains. This is forcing farmers along the river banks to dredge the banks and dig up new channels to feed their farmland, compensating for loss of irrigation.
