About 600 houses, most of them in Mueang district, were damaged when heavy rain and hail storms hit Chiang Mai on Saturday afternoon, according to initial reports from the provincial office of public disaster prevention and mitigation.
Seventeen sub-districts in Mueang, Mae Rim, San Kamphaeng and San Sai were affected by the storms, which began at about 3pm.
In Suthep sub-district of Mueang district, 222 houses in Ban Doi Suthep, 57 houses in Ban Phuping and 300 in Ban Doi Pui suffered damage roofs and flooding. Several utility poles and trees were felled by the strong wind, causing extensive blackouts in Mae Hia sub-district.
Three cars and a garage in San Kamphaeng district were damaged when two uprooted trees fell on them.
In Mae Rim district, traffic on a road linking Huai Sai, Khilek, Saluang, Mae Raem, Rim Nuea, Rim Tai and San Pong was temporarily blocked by fallen trees. The road was reopened a few hours later, when local officials were able to remove the tree trunks from the road.
Rain and hail storms hit Chiang Mai, causing widespread property damage
