Several people are thought to have gone inside the school to shelter from the rain (Picture: AP)
Seven people died after strong winds blew down a metal roof of a school in Thailand.
Four children, including a six-year-old boy, were counted in those killed during the storm at the Wat Nern Por primary school in Phichit province yesterday.
Emergency workers spent the early hours of this morning pulling people from the wreckage following the heavy rain.
A resident told local media ThaiPBS: ‘At first, I didn’t know what it was, I didn’t know it was the wind.
‘It was like a battlefield because of the loud noises. I’ve been here for 40 years and have never experienced such an event.’
Another witness added: ‘In a blink of an eye, I heard a sound just like in a war zone and in a span of five seconds, the storm reached me.’
It is thought several people took shelter in the school’s activity centre to wait for the storm to pass.
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Emergency workers spent the early hours of this morning pulling people from the wreckage following the storm (Picture: AP)
Patcharin Siri, from the province’s public relations department, confirmed two parents, a janitor and four boys died.
One of the boys died after being admitted to hospital to treat his serious injuries.
Another 17 people were also taken to hospital after being injured in the collapse.
Video from the scene showed a huge mess of metal, poles and corrugated iron lying crumpled on the floor.
Local mayor Kannika Intarakul toldThaiPBS: ‘All the houses have been damaged by the storm but this arena just completely collapsed.’
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Local media reported a temporary relief centre had been set up near the disaster site.
The monsoon season in Thailand officially started yesterday.
The country’s meteorological department issued a warning for heavy rain across this week.
Just last week a 180mph cyclone killed at least six people and injured hundreds in Thailand’s neighbouring country of Myanmar.
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Several people are thought to have gone inside the school to shelter from the rain.
