Thousands left homeless and injured in devastating hailstorm in South Dholai

Several villages in South Dholai have been completely devastated by a fierce hailstorm last night. Around 3 am, a sudden onslaught of heavy hail accompanied by strong winds began, with each hailstone weighing approximately 400 to 500 grams as they plummeted from the sky. The storm, lasting for about ten to fifteen minutes, left South Dholai's Channighat Gram Panchayat, including Frenchnagar, Channighat, Lailapur, Sheorartal, Ardhangapur of Jamalpur Gram Panchayat, Jamalpur, Khulichhara, Bhavanipur, and several other villages, completely ravaged. Khulichhara, Frenchnagar, and Channighat suffered the most damage.

In the aftermath of the hailstorm, not a single thatch remains on the roofs of the affected homes; instead, they are entirely shredded. The scene resembles a scene from a mythical tale, as if some demon has unleashed an attack, leaving the villages in ruins. Both the wealthy and the poor find themselves in the same predicament.

With rice crops reduced to tatters due to the hailstorm, essential household items, stored food supplies, and livestock have been soaked in rainwater, leading to the deaths of many domestic animals such as cows, goats, and poultry. Such was the intensity of the hailstorm that many people were injured by hailstones crashing through their roofs into their homes.

At least two hundred vehicles of all sizes have been damaged. Along the roadsides, the wreckage of vehicles stands as a testimony to the ferocity of the hailstorm, with countless dents and marks caused by the hailstones.

Many have been left destitute and hopeless in the wake of this natural disaster. With no roofs over their heads, and with everything soaked in rainwater, people are struggling to cope. While some with minimal resources have rushed to tin shops early in the morning to buy replacements, the prices are soaring, and tin shops are witnessing long queues even before the market opens. Despite offering prices higher than usual, shops are running out of stock quickly.

Meanwhile, the able-bodied are busy repairing their homes, but many vulnerable individuals are left stranded. They lack even the minimal capability to procure polythene sheets to cover their roofs. Efforts are being made by some governmental agencies to assist the affected families, but the scale of the damage is such that it will take at least ten days to complete the relief operations for a group of ten families.

Pritish Chandra Das, the General Secretary of the Narsingpur Mandal of the Bharatiya Janata Party, along with other party officials, visited the affected area. Pritish mentioned that the issue has already been raised with the state minister, Parimal Suklabaidya, and the district magistrate. He assured that immediate assistance would be provided to the affected people. However, assessing the exact extent of the damage caused by the devastating hailstorm is currently challenging. It is estimated that the total damage will exceed several billion rupees.