Female farmer crushed to death by uprooted durian tree during storm

A female farmer was killed by an uprooted tree that crushed her during a storm in northern Thailand.

Anong Deepanya, 66, and her husband were harvesting langsat fruit in their orchard when heavy rain struck Uttaradit province on October 2 afternoon.

The husband said he and their employees were loading their harvest into delivery trucks when he heard a loud crash in the garden. He returned to find the toppled durian tree lying on the wreckage of a small wooden shed.

He said: 'I called for my wife, but she did not respond. We kept looking for her before deciding to check under the debris. I was heartbroken when we found her unconscious. She wasn't breathing anymore.'

Gruesome photos showed Anong lying on her back with her legs mangled by the thick trunk.

A rescue team later arrived and carried Anong's body on a makeshift stretcher. They travelled around three miles to make it out of the dense orchard amid the downpour.

Heavy rains have been battering Uttaradit province in Thailand's north since October 1. The monsoon storms have toppled trees and electric posts, and caused severe floods and landslides.

Thailand and neighbouring countries in Southeast Asia are in their annual monsoon rainy season which sees soaring temperatures followed by powerful rain storms in the afternoon leading to widespread flash floods.