Heavy rains, strong winds and thunderstorms over the weekend damaged more than 150 houses in Banteay Meanchey and Kampot provinces. The storms left one victim dead and seven others injured, as well as killing two cows, according to provincial authorities.

In Banteay Meanchey, Svay district governor Svay Chea told The Post on May 2 that the heavy storms of April 29 damaged 110 houses in three villages of Tuol Pongro commune – 51 in Tuol Pongro, four in Ta Kong and 55 in Boeung Chung Ruk Techo Chhneas. But the bad weather did not cause any injuries or deaths.

“Currently, we have deployed more than 200 officials to help repair the houses of the affected families. We have also provided emergency food, including 25kg of rice, one crate of fish sauce, one crate of soy sauce, and clean drinking water to alleviate their hardship at this difficult time,” he said.

Suon Sophon, a member of the Phnom Leap commune council in Preah Netr Preah district, said the storms in his commune had killed a woman and damaged two homes.

“The victim was Phal Phorn, 47, a resident of Phnom Leap commune’s Kampong Krasaing village in my district. She was struck by lightning and killed while bathing and collecting rainwater for use,” he said.

In Kampot province, Banteay Meas district’s head of administration Chum Saroeun said that the April 28 storms had damaged 41 buildings and left a man injured. Six students also fainted from fear, he added.

“It was a frightening storm, because the rain was unusually heavy, the wind was howling, and the thunder seemed very close. Many people’s homes collapsed – one seriously injuring a man – while six students at Chrung Sralao Secondary School were so frightened that they fainted when a sudden gust of wind tore the roof off their classroom,” he said.

The damaged homes in the two provinces raised the total number of houses damaged across the Kingdom by weather to 1,995 in the first four months of the year, 370 of which collapsed completely. Two people were killed and 23 injured in the collapses.

The death toll from lightning strikes across the country has risen to 10, with nine injured. A total of 25 cattle were also killed by lightening, according to data from the National Committee for Disaster Management and local authorities.