The development came as Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha instructed concerned officials to take this opportunity to generate artificial rain to fill near-empty dams nationwide as the foul weather meant there was more moisture in the atmosphere.

The Meteorological Department issued its latest announcement yesterday, saying the storms have reduced to depressions but could still be destructive in some areas in the North, Northeast, East and upper Central Plains.

Those areas include Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lampang, Sukhothai, Phetchabun, Nakhon Ratchasima, Lop Buri, Ayutthaya, Prachin Buri, Chon Buri, Rayong, and Trat.

The department urged people to take precautions when going out and warned them to stay away from big advertising banners and trees over fears they could be brought down by strong winds.

In Kanchanaburi province, the military has inspected houses damaged in storms. At least eight houses in popular tourist district Sai Yok were severely damaged with nearly 100 more affected.

Artificial rain to fill dams

In Muang district, a few more houses were severely damaged, but the military has to wait for construction businesses to open to get the materials needed to fix those houses.

Government Spokesman Maj-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd said Prayut had expressed his concerns about the impact of the storms on people in 39 provinces.

But given there was now more moisture in the atmosphere, he said the PM had instructed officials to generate artificial rain to fill the dams.

Although the drought has been eased by the storms in some parts of the country, there remains a critical water shortage affecting wild elephants in various parks and sanctuaries, including the Salak Phra Wildlife Sanctuary in Kanchanaburi province.Wasan Sunjirat, kamnan at Tambon Chongsadao in the province’s Muang district, said he has made a request to use tap water to fill water sources in the sanctuary for the some 400 elephants living there.

The animals could be forced to use the river, which would pose a threat to locals and tourists, he said.

In Phichit province, the drought has forced farmers to evacuate some 4,000 ducks from drying water sources but they said finding new water sources was more and more difficult.

The drought and sweltering heat has resulted in the slower growth of ducks because their food sources, mollusc and fingerlings, have decreased, farmers said.