On Monday, May 22, a devastating windstorm led to the death of seven people, including four children, as it toppled a metal roof over a school sports field.
The tragic event occurred at Wat Nern Por primary school in Phichit province, about 185 miles north of Bangkok, Thailand. Children aged six to 13 were sheltering in the open-sided structure on the field when the storm’s fierce gusts caused it to collapse.
Witnesses reported that the students sought shelter from the rain in the structure when the roof suddenly gave way. The provincial disaster prevention department confirmed via Facebook that 18 victims were hospitalized post-incident, one of whom, a six-year-old boy, succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital later that night.
Patcharin Siri, an employee of the Provincial Public Relations Department, identified the victims as four schoolboys, two parents, and a school maintenance worker. Harrowing images posted on the public relations office’s Facebook page illustrated the wreckage with debris of poles and twisted corrugated iron strewn across the site.
Open-sided roofs are commonly found over sports fields in Thailand, offering respite from the day’s intense heat. The catastrophe aligns with the onset of monsoon season, with predictions forecasting heavy rainfall throughout Thailand.
This disaster follows the recent Cyclone Mocha in neighboring Myanmar, which claimed 145 lives.