Storms and hail in various districts of Koshi Province have caused damage to people, property, agricultural crops, and physical infrastructure.
Due to storms accompanied by rain, damage has occurred in Taplejung, Okhaldhunga, Panchthar, Ilam, Khotang, Dhankuta, Jhapa, Sunsari, and Udayapur.
Due to the storms, one person in Jhapa and two people in Udayapur died after being hit by falling trees.
According to INSEC Taplejung representative Elina Diyali, on March 16, the storm damaged the roof of the old ward office building of Sidingwa Rural Municipality–2. The toilet of Ambika Primary School was also damaged due to the storm. Ward Chair Purna Bahadur Limbu stated that the damage in Sidingwa Rural Municipality–2, including government structures and private property, amounts to Rs. 5 million.
According to INSEC Okhaldhunga representative Saraswati Baniya, two schools were damaged in the district due to the storm. The roofs of the two schools were blown away on March 16, resulting in losses of Rs. 530,000. Damage was reported in Siddhicharan Municipality–4 Rumjatar, Siddhicharan Municipality–2 Thulachap, Siddhicharan Municipality–11 Milanchok, Sunkoshi Rural Municipality–4 and 5, and Molung Rural Municipality–1. The roofs of Chautara Secondary School in Sunkoshi Rural Municipality–5 Dandakhark and Damati Secondary School in Sunkoshi Rural Municipality–6 Par were blown away by the storm.
According to the INSEC Panchthar representative Iwara Jawegu Limbu, the storm on March 16 caused damage in various areas of the district. The cooperative building in Miklajung Rural Municipality–8 Durdimba suffered losses of Rs. 250,000 due to the storm, and three solar panels at Bhagwati Secondary School were damaged, totaling Rs. 150,000. Two-storey concrete building, computers, printers, solar equipment, and smart TVs at Shree Jaynarayan Secondary School in Falgunanda Rural Municipality–6 were damaged, with losses estimated at Rs. 5 million, according to Ward Chair Bam Prasad Lawati. Principal Prakash Acharya stated that the storm damaged the school’s physical infrastructure, affecting teaching and making it difficult to conduct annual examinations.
According to INSEC Khotang source Kopiladevi Banstola, the storm damaged communication equipment in the district, depriving locals of access to information. The Halesi FM tower in Diktel Rupakot Majhuwagadhi Municipality–3 Bamrang Mude was broken by the storm, stopping radio broadcasts, according to Halesi FM Managing Committee Chair Bishnu Kumar Rai. DSP Prakash Budhathoki of the District Police Office stated that the storm damaged the roofs of several schools, and damage assessments are ongoing.
According to INSEC Dhankuta representative Ishwar Thapa, the storm with rain on March 16 caused damage to physical structures in various areas of the district. Electricity transmission lines were damaged in Nigale, Kagate, Sukepokhari, and other areas of Dhankuta Municipality. The storm also damaged agricultural crops in various areas, and damage assessments are ongoing, according to DSP Gyan Kumar Mahato of the District Police Office.
According to INSEC Ilam representative Manoj Adhikari, the storm on March 17 damaged electricity transmission lines, forcing most areas of the district to remain in darkness. Hail and rain caused damage to vegetable crops and maize fields. Crops such as trellised vegetables, tomato tunnels, and maize fields were affected. The Agricultural Knowledge Center reported that areas such as Soyang, Namsaling, and Pyang in Maijogmai Rural Municipality suffered severe crop damage due to the storm. The Nepal Electricity Authority, Ilam Distribution Center, reported that more than half of the district lost electricity due to transmission line damage.
According to INSEC Jhapa source Naresh Khati, the storm and hail on Falgun 28 and subsequent rainfall caused the most damage to maize fields. Maize crops in 44,000 hectares of Kachankawal and Jhapa Rural Municipality were damaged. Commercial orange plantations in Bahradashi Rural Municipality were also affected.
According to INSEC Sunsari representative Jay Krishna Yadav, hail and storms on March 16 caused major damage to maize, wheat, and vegetable crops in the district. Farmers are concerned about the destruction of food and cash crops. The hail damaged maize, wheat, lentils, mustard, and vegetable crops, according to farmer Shambhu Yadav. The hail particularly affected crops in Babiya and Jalpapur of Inaruwa, Ramnagar Bhutaha, and Basantpur of Harinagar Rural Municipality, and various areas of Dewanganj Rural Municipality. Kuver Niraula, Agriculture Development Officer of Inaruwa Agriculture Branch, stated that 60% of cultivable land in Inaruwa Municipality is planted with maize and 30% with wheat. Due to hail, immature rice stalks were damaged, maize was flattened, and newly sprouted wheat was completely destroyed.
According to INSEC Udayapur representative Rakesh Nepali, the storm on March 16 killed Minamaya Tamang, 49, of Katarai Municipality–8 Thaliyatar. DSP Kedar Man Dong of the Katarai Police Office stated that the death occurred when a tree branch broke during the storm and struck her. In Katarai Municipality–5, the storm toppled a tree that damaged a house with a shop, killing 64-year-old Birendra Chaudhary. Injuries were reported to 5-year-old Binisha Chaudhary, Yuvraj Karki, 27, of Katarai–3 Ahaldanda, Lilabahadur Danuwar, 46, Premchandra Danuwar, 46, of Katarai–5 Balaha, and Asmita Pariyar, 16, of Katarai–12 Baseri, according to police.