TYPHOON WIPHA which has now weakened to tropical storm knocked down several electricity poles in southern Nakhon Si Thammarat province triggering a blackout in many areas while Phuket too was hit by strong winds and torrential rain that toppled billboards and prevented tourists from swimming in the sea at some beaches, TV Channel 7, Workpoint News and FM91 Trafficpro said this morning (July 21).
Torrential rain and wind gusts toppled dozens of power poles along Nakhon Si Thammarat city’s Thet Phrakiat road in a domino effect stretching for about two kilometres. Power was cut in almost all areas of the province.
Some of these power poles fell on houses and shops damaging them with traffic on the affected road badly congested for some time forcing motorists to use other routes.
Several people had also got injured as the strong storm lashed their province with Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department officials and rescuers helping them.
Teams from Provincial Electricity Authority are also urgently repairing knocked-down power poles.
In Phuket, torrential rain and sustained winds hit many areas especially Patong Beach and other popular beaches with strong waves making it too dangerous for tourists to swim in the sea.
Large billboards fell on some houses in Thalang district but fortunately no one got injured.
Reporters went to inspect a vinyl installation shophouse on Thepkasattri road where a large billboard had collapsed on the roof. Mr. Ko, 39, an employee, said he was in his room on the second floor when he heard a loud noise.
Upon coming down he saw that the billboard in front of the shop, which the previous tenant had installed, had fallen on the roof. At that time his younger brother was standing beneath the billboard and narrowly escaped.
Mr. Ek, the owner of a grocery store next door, said the big billboard had also damaged a lot of things in his shop, including a refrigerator, soft drinks, drinking water and various snacks scattered all over the floor.
Initial estimate of the damage to the two shops is 300,000 baht.
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Top below and Front Page: Electricity poles knocked down by tropical storm Wipha. Photos: People Unity Foundation and shared by FM91 Trafficpro
Insert: The large billboard that fell on a vinyl installation shop in Phuket. Photo: Workpoint News
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