Hailstorm leaves a trail of destruction, one killed, many hurt
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal/Bpr/Tbl/Noney, May 05 2024: A ferocious hailstorm and heavy downpour left a trail of destruction in several parts of the State this afternoon.

Amidst the violent thunderstorm, one man was killed by lightning at Yangdong, Kakching district while his wife escaped with injuries.

The deceased has been identified as Huidrom Nilakanta (45) s/o late H Temba of Yangdong Awang Leikai.

Nilakanta and his wife Romila (40) were on a farm when they were struck by lightning.

Adding to the tragedy, Nilakanta's house was also badly ravaged by the storm and a part of it was blown away.

In a similar incident, one Lourembam Basant Singh (53) s/o late L Temba Singh of Lourembam Maning Leikai, Nambol sustained grievous injuries as he was struck by lightning when he was working in a paddy field at around 4 pm today .

Hailstorm leaves a trail of destruction, one killed, many hurt

He is currently undergoing treatment at Asian Hospital, Kwakeithel.

At some other places where the hailstorm was not so heavy, a violent storm swept the areas wreaking havoc.

Flash floods were also witnessed at some locations on account of the heavy downpour and the hailstorm.

A severe hailstorm erupted at around 1.30 pm today and it caused extensive damages to dwelling houses as well as agricultural and horticultural crops.

The hailstones were so thick and heavy that tin roofs of innumerable numbers of houses were damaged beyond redemption.

The hailstorm wreaked havoc at Thongju, Kyamgei, Bamon Leikai, Kakwa, Singjamei, Bashikhong, Canchipur, Langthabal, Keirao Bitra, Kwakeithel, Ghari, Changangei, Malom, Uripok Naoremthong, Tera, Sagolband, Khumbong, Langjing, Konthoujam, Toubungkhong and surrounding areas.

Tin roofs of some houses were damaged so badly that they looked like perforated metal sheets.

The hailstorm also blew away many tin roofs.

The hailstorm was so heavy that rooftops, courtyards and roads were covered by a white layer of hailstones as thick as almost half a foot.

As Imphal Airport road was covered with a thick layer of hailstones at Ghari and Changangei, people travelling along the road encountered severe inconveniences.

A similar situation was also witnessed at Tera.

The travellers were forced to pull up their vehicles on the roadsides and wait for the hailstorm to subside.

During half an hour or so when the vehicles remained still, the wheels were covered with hailstones up to half the diameter.

Windshields, windows and roofs of some vehicles were also damaged by hailstones.

As the thick layer of hailstones melted, the water thus generated caused flash floods in some areas.

Imphal-Moreh highway was flooded at Kakwa and the flood caused disruption to vehicular traffic for some time.

A strong storm accompanied by hailstones swept different places of Bishnupur district at around 2.15 pm and it caused large scale damages to many houses and standing crops.

Although the hailstorm lashed most parts of Bishnupur district, it did more damage at parts of Thinungei, Phubala, Sunu-siphai, Naranseina, Thamna- pokpi, Ithing, Thanga and Tronglaobi Awang.

Tin roofs of a large number of dwelling houses were either blown away or perforated at these places.

Vast tracts of vegetable farms were completely destroyed by the hailstones.

One Pukhram Pramodini (60) of Sendra was grazed by a flying GI sheet on her forehead.

She was treated at CHC Moirang.

One Kh Sangbanabi (38) of Sendra was fishing in Loktak Lake on a boat when a violent storm swept across the lake and her boat capsized.

She was rescued by fellow fishermen and brought to CHC Moirang.

H Rohen (34) of Moirang Yumkhaibam, S Suryakanta (9) and K Anil from Thoubal Haokha who came to Moirang were injured in the storm.

Apart from dwelling houses, many Meira Paibi sheds have also been blown away or razed to ground by the hailstorm in Bishnupur district.

One Chanambam Beny (75) of Heirok Part 2 Ma-ning Leikai sustained inju- ries as she was struck by hailstones.

Many houses have either been razed or their roofs blown away at Kairem-bikhok, Uyal, Wangbal, Langthabal, Khekman, Wangjing, Heirok, Khong-jom, Chingtham, Khanga- bok, Leisangthem Khong-manung and Thoubal.

It is said that many families have been rendered homeless in Thoubal district.

Two relief camps have been already opened at Khangabok Part 3 for accommodation of families whose houses have been destroyed by the hailstorm.

A strong wind accompanied by hailstorm also swept across Noney district damaging around 50 houses.

With the power lines snapped at different places, many villages have been left without any power supply.

It is said that the Ijei River is currently flowing at the danger mark.

Meanwhile the Villages Council Longmai Area has sought immediate attention of the Noney district administration and the State Government in the relief and rehabilitation measures of affected people.

Talking to The Sangai Express , Directorate of Environment and Climate Change Director T Brajakumar said that the hailstorm though heavy and ferocious was not the first of its kind seen in Manipur.

More ferocious or heavier hailstorms had been seen in Senapati, Tamenglong and Churachandpur districts.

But such heavy hailstorms as seen this evening are quite rare in the Imphal area.

Instead of rain, hailstones poured down quite heavily, Dr Brajakumar said.

Noted environmentalist Rajesh Salam recalled that severe hailstorm caused extensive damages to houses and standing crops at Liyai Khullen and Paomata areas of Senapati district in February 2022 .

Heavy hailstorms have been recorded at some places of Senapati, Churachandpur and Tamenglong during the last few years, he said.

On account of the climate change and its impact on the environment, frequency of hailstorms and thickness of hailstones have been growing, Rajesh Salam said.

While hailstorm wreaked havoc at Imphal, violent storms swept across different areas of Thoubal, Kakching and Bishnupur districts.

The storms damaged many houses, snapped branches of trees and even uprooted some big trees.

The storms blew away tin roofs of many houses and shops.

Snapped branches and uprooted trees posed serious hurdles to vehicular traffic at some places.

A roadside tree got uprooted and fell upon a moving vehicle at Sendra.

Many electric poles were either blown away or uprooted thereby snapping power lines.

Uprooted or blown down trees posing hurdles to vehicular traffic could be seen on Imphal-Yairipok road, Mayai Lambi, Heirok etc.

After the hailstorm subsided, people, particularly children, amazed by the rare spectacle, were seen playing with the hailstones at Kwakeithel, Changangei, Ghari, Sagolband, Tera etc.

Some of them said that they need not go to Leh or Ladakh to play with snow.

Meanwhile taking serious note the extensive damages caused by the hailstorm, Chief Minister N Biren has appealed to all the affected people to submit damage reports along with photographs to the Deputy Commissioners concerned for necessary assistance.

In a social media post, the Chief Minister also shared helpline numbers to contact the concerned DCs.

The helpline numbers are Bishnupur-9856401043, Tengnoupal-9366556373, Kakching-8787682707/9862054678, Tamenglong-9402816594, Imphal East-9366390171, Jiribam-7085052630, Kangpokpi-8132067577, Thoubal-7042114822/8787668199, Senapati-7628992200, Chandel-8119934085, Churachandpur-8837095176, Kamjong-7630897455 and Imphal West-8132854956 .