TURA: Several back to back thunderstorms which have lashed the state, including Garo Hills, over the past one week have caused damage to roof-tops of people’s homes across several parts of the region.
A late Sunday night storm that hit Garo Hills region, blew away tin-roofs and damaged a few schools and several homes made from thatch and bamboo in several places in West and North Garo Hills region.
Damages to several homes were reported from the Dainadubi region of North Garo Hills and authorities had to lift restriction on hardware stores to allow people to purchase tin sheets for their damaged roofs on Monday. Under the lock down, only essential services such as supply of food items and medicines are permitted and people are restricted from coming out onto public places unless permitted.
“Most of the damage was in Dainadubi area and there were also a few cases reported from Tapa Darengchi area also,” inform local authorities.
In West Garo Hills district the storm had an impact in the Anogre region where several arecanut plantations experienced damage while a lower primary school at Derikgre village had its entire roof top blown away.
The annual pre-monsoon rainfall or ‘summer showers’ occur from March to April and their intensity can range from light showers to heavy and persistent thunderstorms. These rains greatly influence human activities because of the control the rains have on crops that are culturally significant like mangoes and coffee.
It is also a dangerous weather pattern because many such storms are accompanied by hail, which destroys standing crops, and lightning strikes which have led to human loss in previous years.