Thai apartment building collapses, killing 5

Thai apartment building collapses, killing 5

2011-09-12 23:44:11 GMT+7 (ICT)

BANGKOK, THAILAND (BNO NEWS) -- Five people were confirmed dead after an apartment building collapsed in central Thailand due to heavy rainfall, local media reported on Monday.

The two-story building, located in the Takaosan subdistrict of Thailand's Saraburi Province, caved in after heavy rainfall is believed to have saturated the soil and subsequently collapsed its roof, the MCOT news agency reported. Several vehicles near the structure were also damaged.

Although initial reports said several people were still missing, officials later confirmed five people were killed and that no one remains trapped under the rubble. Search and rescue efforts were stopped after the bodies were recovered.

Torrential rains have affected several parts of Thailand in recent weeks. Last Friday, at least six people were confirmed dead after rain-triggered landslides affected three villages in the northern province of Uttaradit.

Northern Thailand has been hit by unusually heavy monsoon rains in the past months, killing at least 77 people in flood-related incidents. Disaster Relief Center director Panu Yaemsiri previously stated that people in 14 central and northeastern provinces have been affected by flooding, which has so far affected more than 465,000 people in 2,568 villages in the provinces.

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