Jirang again hit by storm, hailstones

NONGPOH: Several houses in Jirang in Ri Bhoi district were damaged in Friday’s storm and electricity poles were uprooted snapping power in many villages.
The storm started around 7.30pm on Friday. A resident of Jirang area, Kmenlang Nonghyndah, said hailstones, along with the storm, damaged houses at Centre village, Umlakro, Wahsynon, Umsohpanan, Nonglum, Nongsier and Mynnar.
“Everybody was scared and ran helter-skelter without knowing what to do. Some of them started crying,” said the headman of Centre village, D. Rani, while describing the impact of the storm.
Locals said the hailstones were as big as tennis balls.
Rani urged the government and local representatives to provide relief materials to affected families.
Jirang was affected by the thunderstorm and hail on April 2.
Friday’s cyclone damaged crops and uprooted trees and electric poles in parts of Pilingkata area as well in the interstate border of Assam and Meghalaya where villagers are living without electricity. Restoration of power in Umtyrnga, Iongkhuli, Chibra, Thembugre, Behenanodi, Nongspung A, B & C villages will take time.
The headman of Umtyrnga, Bur Khongtyngkut, said around 15 houses were damaged in the village. But the actual estimation of damage is yet to be found, he added.
Khongtyngkut said he is yet to inform the district administration because “we could not connect to them due to network problem”.
However, he urged the district administration and the government to send their officials for spot enquiry and also requested for immediate relief to affected villagers.
Mawlong area under Umling C&RD block was also lashed by rain and hailstones. Among the damaged structures was a school building.