A hospital ceiling collapsed following days of heavy rain in rural Thailand.

Footage shows rainwater pouring into a ward at the Bung Khla Hospital in Bueng Kan on July 5.

Nurses screamed when the ceiling panel suddenly gave way with a loud crack, unleashing a cascade of accumulated water into the room.

The emergency and dental departments of the hospital were temporarily closed due to the incident.

Phamorn Darun, provincial chief medical officer, inspected the wreckage with local authorities on July 7.

They found that the drainage holes on the hospital roof were too narrow to discharge the large volume of rain that had battered the area in recent days.

Phamorn said: 'The drainage system couldn't handle the water. It overflowed, seeped into the structure through cracks. The hospital also lacked maintenance workers to check on it.'

Despite the collapse, he said the damage was 'minor', estimating repair costs at 10,000 baht (226 GBP).

He added the drainage channel will also be expanded to keep the rainwater from accumulating on the ceiling again.

The collapse came as the Thai Meteorological Department warned that northeastern Thailand, including Bueng Kan, would experience scattered thundershowers and isolated heavy to very heavy rain on July 5.

Thailand and neighbouring countries in Southeast Asia are at the start of their annual monsoon rainy season which sees soaring temperatures followed by powerful rain storms. The rudimentary infrastructure often struggles with the deluge, leading to widespread flash floods.

(1 GBP = 44.26 THB)