Shillong, Mar 15: A strong storm led to several reports of damage across Meghalaya as the state was battered by hailstones of up to golf ball size on Sunday.
The Indian Meteorological Department has warned of further bad weather in the coming days and district administrations have urged residents to be cautious. In West Jaintia Hills, all government and private schools have been ordered to remain closed as a precautionary measure.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma convened a review meeting with senior officials to assess the damage caused by a severe hailstorm that hit Tura and nearby areas around 3am today.
The storm, which lasted about 20 minutes, brought large hailstones, damaging homes, vehicles and crops. The meeting, attended by the Chief Secretary, Commissioner & Secretary of Revenue and Disaster Management and Deputy Commissioners discussed the ground situation.
Sangma directed officials to ensure immediate relief reaches affected households and restore essential utilities like electricity and water supply.
Officials were asked to remain vigilant, coordinate with local authorities and facilitate timely support for those impacted. The hailstorm, the third severe weather event, left a trail of damage, with reports of punctured tin roofs and damaged vehicles.
In the Ranikor block of South West Khasi Hills, a hailstorm accompanied by heavy rainfall and strong winds occurred in parts of the block during the early hours, causing damage to houses in several villages.
Some of the affected villages include Nongkulang, Thadteja, Pormawdar and New Mailom.
Preliminary information was also received from Amarsang and parts of Pormawdar indicating that a few additional households may have been affected. However, communication network issues in the area have made it difficult to obtain complete details at this stage. It is likely that more villages may have been affected and further verification is currently underway.
Block officials are conducting field verification and assessing the damage.
Meanwhile, residents have been warned of the danger of continued bad weather.
All of the state will be under a yellow alert on Monday, with chances of thunderstorms, heavy rainfall, gusty winds and hail at isolated places.
Residents are advised to take safety measures, including securing loose objects, switching off electrical appliances during lightning and avoiding areas prone to flash floods.
People are urged to stay away from streams, rivers and waterfalls and avoid driving through flooded areas.
