TURA: A powerful storm that lashed the Rongram block region of West Garo Hills damaged dozens of homes early Tuesday morning.
Preliminary reports from the district administration indicate that more than a dozen villages were impacted by the storm that hit the area at around 4 am. It flattened thatched and bamboo dwelling homes, blew away roof tops of schools and houses and brought down trees and power lines.
Block officials from Rongram informed that first hand reports revealed damage to the villages of Rengsanggre, Asanang, Jendragre, Alagre, Aguragre, Tebronggre, Waram Asim, Digranggre, Rongpotgre and Matchurigre as severe.
“There was a very heavy downpour and the wind velocity was so powerful we thought a cyclone had hit us,” said a villager from Rengsanggre near Asanang. All along the path of the storm there were trees flattened and even electric poles uprooted.
According to villagers, the velocity of the winds was one of the most powerful in recent times. A large number of plantation saplings and trees were destroyed in the storm and many schools in the villages were left without rooftops.
The storm also had its impact in the East and North Garo Hills districts where rainfall was extremely heavy, informed government officials.
Tuesday’s tragedy has dealt a double blow to many families in the region who, only recently, had witnessed large scale destruction of their homes and plantations after a powerful storm lashed their region.
It is worth mentioning that this is the fourth major thunderstorm to hit the Garo Hills in less than two months time causing widespread damage. Many attribute these sudden and drastic weather patterns to global warming caused by wanton destruction of the forest cover.
