Houses, vehicles damaged
MAWKYRWAT/Nongpoh: Cyclonic storm and hailstorm lashed the border villages in Ranikor area in South West Khasi Hills early on Sunday morning damaging more than 300 houses in 11 villages.
Official sources informed that the storm started around 3am on Sunday. There was no report of casualties but houses and vehicles were damaged in the hailstorm.
The sources said the villages which were affected by the storm include Assimgittim where 35 houses were damaged, Upper Puksora with 62 damaged houses, Lower Puksora with 51 houses, Makbikol with 34 houses, Pancharing-A with 93 houses, Panchering B with 47 houses, Upper Panchering with three houses, Photkylla with 15 houses, Songdongktieh with 2 houses, Domliner with fourteen houses and Chijongchirin with thirty eight houses.
Local MLA and Minister Martin M. Danggo visited the constituency on Sunday with relief materials for affected families.
The district administration set up a relief camp at Panchering village in which more than twenty families who have lost their houses were taking shelter, the sources said and added that the number of families at the camp might increase because heavy rain accompanied by strong wind was still on.
Nongpoh in Ri Bhoi district too witnessed hailstorm and heavy rain later in the evening. Several houses and vehicles were damaged.