The recent heavy rain and windstorms on the early morning of April 15 damaged more than 167 acres of maize fields in Karmaling and Nichula gewogs under Dagana.

According to the damage assessment report of Karmaling gewog, 127 acres of maize fields of 130 families were damaged by the windstorm that lasted for 45 minutes beginning 2am in the morning.

The disaster, which farmers say is the first of its kind in the gewog, has affected Karmaling, Senchumthang, Omchhu and Labtsakha chiwogs with a reported 80 percent crop loss. 

Sherpa said that it blew off the roofs of 16 houses and a poultry farm shed. Three households were severely affected.

A mega polyhouse built as part of the Economic Contingency Plan in the gewog last year also collapsed, with reported damage to 250 bags of cement that are to be used for the construction of gewog’s primary health centre.

The gewog disaster management team submitted the assessment report to the Lhamoidzingkha drungkhag administration on April 15.

The storm has also wreaked havoc in Nichula gewog with power outage for the past three days.

Nichula Gup Nima Wangchuk Sherpa said that the storm damaged the infrastructure of 15 households, broke 300 areca nut trees, and other fruit trees like banana. The hailstorm on the evening of April 16 damaged the roofing of 25 households. Farmers lost about 40 acres of maize field.

The gup said that the administration was assessing the damage, with the insurance company officials soon expected to visit the gewog for damage assessment.

A farm road blocked by a fallen tree at Damchuna was cleared with the support of local residents led by the gewog mangmi.

Residents said that they were looking forward to compensation.

The National Centre for Hydrology and Meteorology, yesterday, forecasted gusty winds in the southwestern parts of the country in the next two days, with thunderstorms and lightning in the southern and central parts of the country in the next three days.

Source - https://kuenselonline.com