A tree toppled into a garden after being uprooted by a fierce hailstorm that damaged hundreds of homes as it ripped through northern Thailand on Saturday.

The tall bamboo tree was flattened by violent gales and fell next to resident Arirat Nantakhan's house, damaging her family's stone fence in Chiang Mai province on March 18.

Authorities broke down the damaged wall after the storm to cut the bundles of bamboo and remove them from the property.

Humid temperatures soared to 34 degrees Celsius before the raging downpour lashed homes causing extensive damage in Chiang Mai province shortly after 3:30pm local time on Saturday.

Officials said that at least 12 people were injured across the city when high voltage power lines collapsed, roofs were dislodged and billboards toppled over.

Electricity was lost across more than half of Chiang Mai, the country's second-largest city after the capital Bangkok, while dozens of cars were also damaged.

Emergency workers were still working to restore power to some homes and repair damage on Sunday morning, March 19.

Thailand and other countries in Southeast Asia are approaching their annual monsoon rainy season which sees soaring temperatures followed by powerful rain storms.