Heavy storm accompanied by hail and rain has caused extensive damages to crops and houses, rendering hundreds of people homeless in Zunheboto district of Nagaland.
According to a delayed report, the hailstorm lashed villages under Suruhoto Sub-division of the district on Monday night, where huge hail stones rained on Suruhuto-Asuto town and the adjoining areas damaging around 500 houses, destroying crops and vegetations, according to The Assam Tribune.
Aichi Saghemi village suffered extensively with 171 houses damaged by the torrential hailstorm. A village leader of Aichi Saghemi said that the villagers had to struggle throughout Monday night to seek safe shelter as hailstones of huge size struck the roof-tops.
He said the storm has devastated homes and crops including maize, potatoes and variety of vegetables.
Families of those severely affected and rendered homeless are taking shelter in the homes of relatives awaiting relief. Churches and the Village Council have also been affected by the devastation.
Official sources said that the district administration would be conducting spot verification after which necessary relief and rehabilitation exercises would be carried out.
According to another report by The Times of India, heavy rainfall, coupled with severe hailstorm, have wreaked havoc over thousands of hectares of cropland in Nagaon district over the past few days, compelling the state government to move the Election Commission for approval of relief distribution to affected farmers. The extent of damage is likely to increase after the assessment is completed in all the districts.
Agriculture minister Rakibul Hussain said, "We have a preliminary report from the worst-hit Nagaon district where 37 villages were hit by hailstorm, damaging standing crop in 3,786 hectares of land."
According to the initial reports, 7,061 families in the district have been affected. A bulk of the damaged crop is boro paddy spread over 2,070 hectares of land. The other damaged crops include 509 hectares of jute, 907 hectares of vegetables and 150 hectares of maize.
According to Skymet weather, situation is not likely to improve as heavy rain is likely in these areas over the next two days.
Image Credit: https://twitter.com/JDP14Feb/status/723070580820434944
