Storm ravages Churachandpur
Source: The Sangai Express / S Singlianmang Guite

Lamka, May 11 2009: Atypical high-pitched windstorm early last night hit Churachandpur district causing immense devastating to human habitat but claiming just one casualty and sends the residents as well as the administration scramble for urgent makeshift and relief.

Hundreds of houses and schools were devastated in the township alone as storm arrived here at around 1 am.

The real extent of devastation however is yet to be ascertained as the district administration is yet to receive reports from the Village Authorities to whom it has requested for reports.

Deputy Commissioner Sumant Singh today said, more than 50 private houses excluding schools and community halls were affected and that relief supplies for the victims will be put in within a day or two.

Based on the findings of Relief Secretary Dr Suhel Akhtar who along with the Deputy Commissioner personally visited some of the affected villages the State Government will, according to sources, take a decision on its course of action.

A house in Churachandpur that was hit by the furious wind-storm that swept over the district on Sunday night

SDO Churachandpur S Naba Singh, who personally supervised the assessment today, said above 23 individual houses were fully damaged and another 21 were severely damaged.

He also said that around 5 schools and about half a dozen Government offices were also damaged by the mid-night storm.

The numbers expected to rise as the officials manage to partially cover the affected localities.

Besides, many of the houses which were partially blown off were repaired today and many residents were least concerned to report the matter to the authorities but with rebuilding their own houses.

Kapdawla & Sons, a GI sheet trader has recorded a whooping sale of more than 30 bundles today with customers queuing-up to get hold of the sheets they needed to repair their roof-tops before dark.

We have a hard time dealing with our customer, some we muddle-up and end up losing many sheets.

But, what can I say, they all needed it.

We give some way below our pricing, and to a couple of them who needed a single sheet each but without money for free of cost.

Its a natural calamity and I am pleased to help them out, Kapdawla said.

Early today, hours after the storm recedes, the streets along the township was strewn by remnants of roof-tops, signboards and tree branches.

In the narrow local by-lanes the condition was messier, as numerous bamboo and wooden fencing plunged along the lanes and in some case even block the paths.

The scenes in many localities were quite a mess.

At Vengnuam, New Lamka a couple of houses was completely blown off from its foundation and its residents have to repair with their neighbours.

Their neighbouring locality also woke up to witness a yet to be occupied tin-roof house completely shattered but the roof-top that was blown for about 30 feet from its foundation.

In M Songgel, another newly constructed house with a partial wooden floor has turn-turtle while a community hall at Lhangjol was thrown into the woods with its roof, windows and signboards hanging on tree branches.

Lhanjol, located on the western hill-top of the township witnessed more-than half a dozen of its houses blown off.

Lhainu, an elderly in the village said her entire family clings on the wooden pillars of her house to give weight to their house.

For Lallhimpui and her three daughters it was a narrow escape as their house was blown off by the storm seconds after they vacated and took shelter in their neighbouring house.

For most of the residents whose houses were completely destroyed, their fate was all the same, most of them escape moments before their houses were carried away.

But for the wife of Chinmuan of Lailamveng she was not as lucky as a brick from the roof-top of her neighbour came crushing through their house and hit her fore-head.

She survives with a few stitches.

With the amount of wreckages seen along the street, it is for sure that there would be an immense human casualty had it not been in the death of the night.