Heavy rain and windstorm on May 1 damaged at least four houses in Tsirang’s Kilkorthang gewog. Roofs of two houses were completely blown off in Maenchhana and Sa-sangm chiwogs while roofs of two other houses were partially damaged. No casualty or injuries were reported.

Farmer Thukten, 40, who owns the house in Sa-sangm chiwog, said his three children were home when the winds blew off the roof. “They were scared and had taken shelter inside a hut adjacent to the house,” he said. “It was disheartening to see our roof-less house in the evening.”

Thuken did not have cash in hand to buy new CGI sheets and the Royal Insurance Corporation of Bhutan (RICBL) has not released the insured amount yet. He borrowed Nu 20,000 from his friends and relatives to buy CGI sheets.

The other damaged house in Tashiyangjong chiwog belongs to Tshering Dema. A tree fell on the roof damaging the truss and the house partially. “Luckily the tree did not injure any of our family members,” she said.

But rainwater seeped inside the house and flooded the floor. Since the incident, the eight-member family lived in one corner of the house. Tshering Choden said she does not have money to even buy a tarpaulin sheet, let alone CGI sheet to reroof her house.

Her house is insured and RICBL officials have already verified the damages. “I’ll have to wait for the insurance money to reroof my house,” she said adding that she hopes to get at least Nu 20,000.

Another house that also lost its roof in the windstorm is in Nyizergang chiwog.

Gup Beda Moni Chamlagai said Kilkorthang gewog saw heavy rainfall with windstorm that day with windstorm. “But since maize is just sprouting and people have not yet transplanted paddy, there won’t be major crop damage,” he said.

Nirmala Pokhrel | Tsirang