HFH Thailand Distributes Shelter Repair Kits To Rain-Affected Families In South Of The Country
Each Of The 25 Kits, Which Contains Tools And Basic Materials, Serves 10 Families
PATTHALUNG, 3rd December 2010: Habitat for Humanity Thailand recently handed over shelter repair kits to 250 families affected by severe flooding in the south of the country.
Labai Senyehim (left), head of Kaonangkum sub-district in Patthalung, helping Prapat Chuchoi (right) carry a shelter repair kit to the latter’s truck. Prapat will be using tools and materials from the kit to make repairs to his house. Photos: Mikel Flamm.
Each shelter repair kit includes four hammers, two hand saws, four small wrenches, pencils, rope and pliers.
Part of the roof of Puk Srichumpoo’s house was torn off during a storm.
In Kaonangkum sub-district, Pakpayoon district, Pattalung, families affected by severe flooding benefitted from HFH Thailand’s distribution of shelter repair kits.
Each of the 25 kits distributed, which contained tools and basic materials, benefits 10 families.
HFH Thailand staff members are providing technical training to show families how to repair their flood-damaged homes.
The kits are being paid for by a donation from the Thai office of Chevron.
“The distribution represents a way to reach affected families and help them recover and rebuild after the torrential monsoon rains,” explained Leonilo Escalada, a disaster-response specialist from Habitat for Humanity International’s Asia-Pacific office in Bangkok, who witnessed the distribution.
One of those receiving assistance is Puk Srichumpoo. A section of Puk’s roof was torn off during a storm on 1st November.
“I feel happy to know that, with the tools provided by Habitat for this community and the roofing materials from the government, I will have a new roof for my house.”
Labai Senyehim, head of Kaonangkum sub-district, said: “We are very pleased Habitat can pay attention to the needs of this community. We asked for roofing materials and tools to make the repairs and they helped with what we needed.”
HFH Thailand is also aiming to raise an estimated US300,000 to assist at least 1,000 flood-affected families in southern and central Thailand in the coming weeks.
In addition to the families in Patthalung, HFH Thailand plans to serve an additional 250 families in the neighboring province of Nakorn Sri Thammarat where Habitat personnel assessed the damage. There are plans to help another 500 families in the central, northeast or other provinces.
An assessment by HFH Thailand’s staff in Korat province, northeast of Bangkok, found that only a few houses are in need of emergency assistance. The Thai government and local authorities as well as the private sector have provided exemplary support in keeping the flood situation under control.
Unusually heavy rains due to a tropical depression storm since 10th October caused flooding in a majority of Thailand’s 76 provinces.
More than 240 people have died in the past few weeks with over eight million people affected. Flooding still remained in 60 districts of 14 provinces, Wibul Sanguanpong, chief of Thailand’s Disaster Prevention Department toldThe Nation newspaper recently.