Woman dies as storm knocks down billboards
An iron billboard pole covers a white pickup yesterday on Ratchadaphisek Road. The driver was slightly injured but his vehicle was smashed
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A woman died yesterday after an advertising billboard in front of a food stall collapsed during a storm, which wreaked havoc in Bangkok.
High-voltage wires, meanwhile, were torn from poles and badly injured three students in front of Wichutis School.
Many other incidents of uprooted billboards, trees and power poles were reported.
"Suddenly, the sky turned dark and the wind gusted," Rerkchalin Dunyapojtheva said after he survived another fallen billboard. "Then, the billboard next to my vehicle fell down so fast. It caught me slightly on the head," he said. He climbed out of this damaged pickup and alerted police.
In the fatal incident, witnesses said a four-storey-high billboard fell down during the storm and blocked the road.
Immediately after, a transformer exploded and caused panic among people in the area.
"The victim rushed to the front of the food shop but a pole collapsed and killed her," a witness said.
Bang Kapi District Office director Prasert Thongnoon said the woman was killed in an area under his jurisdiction.
"We are now warning people not to go out during stormy weather," he said.
Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin instructed all district-office directors to survey the damage and provide urgent assistance to people.
The three students injured outside Wichutis School were still in hospital late last night.
Witnesses said high-voltage wires snaked around them as they were waiting for a bus.
The victims were Piyanate Doktian, 5, Ornnapa Doktian, 8, and Jarkrit Doktian, 12.
They suffered serious injuries.
Meanwhile, the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department warned people
to beware of heavy downpours and windy storms until Sunday.
The Nation
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