Over 40 houses in, Ban Don Yan refugee camp, in Sankhala Buri province southern Thailand, were damaged by strong winds which struck the camp for only 5 minutes.

On March 29, there was thunder and lightening, falling hailstones and the sky grew dark before the strong winds hit the refugee camp at about 2:00pm, camp residents told BNI.

"People were crying and shouting like it was doomsday. We could not see anything because everything was in the middle of darkness. A loud noise was filled with crying and collapsing tree branches. We feared for our life", a woman who lived in the camp for 4 years said.

“Even though flooding and landslides have occurred in the camp, it has never been hit by such a strong wind. I have never seen strong wind like this before,” said a Karen refugee man who lived in the camp for 10 years.

The wind storm damaged an office, school and a hospital building, as well as, food rations, school computers and other housing materials.

Some water pipes have also been destroyed by falling trees. It was difficult to get water after the storm. So, refugees took water from a stream near by the camp, according to camp residents.

Representatives from the Thai-Burma Border Consortium (TBBC) visited the camp on March 30th. TBBC delivered emergency foodstuff for some refugees who have been affected by the wind storm. TBBC planned to provide housing materials for rebuilding houses which have been damaged by the strong wind.

Currently, there are over 4,000 refugees living in the Ban Don Yan refugee camp.