Hailstorm hits Assam; over 500 houses damaged

Dibrugarh/Tinsukia (Assam): A severe hailstorm hit several places in Dibrugarh district in Assam, damaging over 500 houses across villages, officials said on Tuesday.

The Regional Meteorological Centre in Guwahati has issued a warning that thunderstorms and lightning with hail are very likely to occur at isolated places over Assam and other states in the northeastern region during the next 24 hours.

A senior official of the Dibrugarh district administration told PTI that the damage assessment is still on and no report of any casualty has been received.

The hailstorm lashed Moran, Tingkhang, Lahowal, Lekai, Naharkatia and other areas on Monday late night and Tuesday early morning, the official said.

"It has led to widespread damage in the district. As per preliminary assessment in Moran sub-division, 310 houses have been damaged in 37 villages," he said.

In Tingkhang, 202 structures across 21 villages and five houses in two villages of Lekai have also been badly damaged, the official said.

"One government lower primary school under Dibrugarh East revenue circle was affected. Nagachapari LP School in the Lahowal area was badly damaged," he added.

In the neighbouring Tinsukia district, a hailstorm lashed the Khetojan Tea Estate on Tuesday morning but no report of damage has been received, another official said.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that due to a severe hailstorm, several houses under Moran and Tingkhong 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," he said on Twitter.

Meanwhile, the Regional Meteorological Centre in Guwahati in a bulletin said light snow is "very likely" to occur at isolated places in the upper reaches of Arunachal Pradesh during the next 24 hours.

"Light to moderate rain is very likely to occur at a few places over the rest of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura. Shallow to moderate fog is very likely to occur at isolated pockets over Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura," it added.

The RMC has issued a 'Yellow Alert' for the entire Northeastern region and said thunderstorms and lightning with hail are very likely to occur at isolated places over the seven states.

"Dense Fog is very likely at isolated pockets over Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura," it added.

The weather report, however, noted that night temperature did not witness a large change over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura during the last 24 hours.