Falling tree kills one

A 75-year-old man from Kereni village was killed and about 100 houses were damaged after a strong hailstorm hit Lhamoizingkha, Dagana on May 6 evening.

The man died on impact when a broken tree fell through the roof of his house and struck him on his head during the hailstorm.

His wife and daughter, who were also home during the mishap escaped with minor injuries.

Karmaling Gup Gyan Bahadur Subba said the mother and the daughter were taken to the hospital and are in stable condition.

“There was heavy rain with hailstone and windstorm,” the gup said.

The family of the deceased lived in a make shift house roofed with CGI sheets. He said the windstorm snapped the tree to fall on the house.

Since the hailstorm, Lhamoizingkha Drungkhag officials and the gup have been going around to record the destruction. CGI roofs of more than 100 houses have been damaged in Karmaling and Ninchula gewogs and numbers are likely to increase.

While livestock deaths were not reported, farmers reported heavy damage to their maize fields. More than five acres of maize fields were recorded as damaged so far with gewog administration still locating damages to crop.

Nichula Gewog, where hailstones rained for about half an hour on May 6 evening reported damage to the roofs of 50 houses in three chiwogs.

“People and livestock were not affected but it damaged three acres of maize field,” Gup Dilip Gurung said.

Officials from gewog administration, drungkhag, and  Royal Insurance Corporation of Bhutan Limited have inspected the affected areas.

About a month ago, strong hailstorm damaged about eight houses in Tintaley village in Lhamoizingkha.

Rajesh Rai | Phuentsholing

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