Roof damaged by hailstones that fell in and around Suruhuto-Asuto town under Zunheboto district on April 18.
Roof damaged by hailstones that fell in and around Suruhuto-Asuto town under Zunheboto district on April 18.

Heavy storm accompanied by hail and rain lashed Zunheboto district Monday night, causing extensive damages to hundreds of houses and crops.

Of all places, the worst affected was in Suruhuto sub-division, especially in Aichi Saghemi village alone, where 171 houses suffered damages and 51 of them extensively by a torrent of hailstorm.

Vikuto Nurumi, GB Aichi Saghemi, said that the villagers of the affected household had to struggle throughout the night to seek safe shelter as hailstones of "huge sizes" battered the roof-tops. In the morning, the magnitude of destruction was evident when standing crops were totally razed.

"The storm has not only devastated our homes but has destroyed our maize, potatoes and varieties of vegetables in our fields which is the source of livelihood for our village," Nurumi lamented. He said resented that no official from the civil administration visited the village to take stock of the situation.

Roof damaged by hailstones that fell in and around Suruhuto-Asuto town under Zunheboto district on April 18.
Roof damaged by hailstones that fell in and around Suruhuto-Asuto town under Zunheboto district on April 18.

President NPF 33 AC Suruhuto-Asuto, Kihoi Awomi informed that the local MLA and parliamentary secretary, Shetoyi Sumi has offered Rs.1000 each to the affected household as immediate relief. The storm also caused some damage to neighbouring villages of Vedami and Medical Colony at Suruhuto Town.

When contacted, an official from the Zunheboto district administration said that they were aware of the storm but that the extent of the damage caused by the storm was yet to be ascertained.

The official said that the district administration will be conducting a spot verification after which necessary relief and rehabilitation exercises would be done.

Meanwhile, families of those severely affected and rendered homeless are taking shelter in the homes of relatives awaiting relief. In the meantime, the Churches and the Village Council are working tirelessly to aid those affected by the devastation.

In other parts of Suruhuto, hail stones the size of walnuts rained on Suruhuto-Asuto town and the adjoining areas Monday at around 11.30 a.m. and damaged more than 500 houses. Saghemi village was however, the worst affected.

Meanwhile, NPF party of 33 AC has appealed to the government for immediate assessment of the damages caused by the hailstorm and to provide requisite materials and funds for restoring and rebuilding the damaged houses.