A severe hailstorm lashed upper Assam’s Moran town in Dibrugarh district on Tuesday morning painting the entire town and its surroundings completely white. Residents of the town with a population of seven thousand were witness to the never-seen sight as the entire town was draped in a blanket of white as hailstones covered the streets, playgrounds, rooftops and courtyards of the people. The hailstorm that lasted nearly one hour caused a sharp dip in the mercury level but that didn’t deterred the residents from stepping out of their homes to savour the sight. Many took to social media to share pictures and videos of the hailstorm. The metreological department on Monday had warned of snowfall and hailstorms in some parts of the state in the next 24 hours.
“This is the first time in my life I have witnessed a hailstorm of such magnitude. The entire Moran town was covered in white resembling a hill station. People who were indoors came out to enjoy the sight. It was a magnificent as we don’t witness such sights in these parts,” said Sagarika Baruah, a college teacher from Moran.
While the hailstorm was a source of delight for many, it also caused severe damage to crops and the residential houses of the people in the rural pockets of the district. The hailstones caused multiple holes in the roofs of the houses apart from flattening crops and vegetables of the farmers.
Project officer of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) Dibrugarh district, Dipjyoti Hatikakati said that altogether 508 households in 60 villages of Dibrugarh district were affected by Tuesday’s hailstorm. Assessment of damage to crops and houses was being carried out by the officials.
“In Moran revenue circle, 301 households in 37 villages were affected. Similarly in the Tingkhang revenue circle, 202 households in 21 villages were affected. In Dibrugarh’s west revenue circle, 5 households in 2 villages were affected. The Nagachapari LP School in Lahowal under the Dibrugarh East revenue circle was also badly damaged in the hailstorm. The damages are being assessed,” Hatikakati said.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in a Twitter post announced all possible help to the affected people.
“Due to a severe hailstorm, several houses under Moran and Tingkhang revenue circles have been reportedly damaged. Have instructed officials to make a detailed assessment of the damages caused. Government is extending all possible help to all those affected by it,” the CM tweeted.
