Shillong, Nov 8: Just when farmers were ready to harvest, a 20-minute hailstorm wiped out their season on Sunday afternoon.
The storm, accompanied by heavy rainfall, struck around 3:30pm and battered Maroid, Nongthymmai, Thangmaw, Rikhen, Mawsyiem and nearby villages in Eastern West Khasi Hills.
Paddy fields ready for harvesting bore the brunt, with crops badly damaged and many fields destroyed.
Villagers say the loss could badly hit their livelihood this year, as paddy is their main source of income and food security.
With harvest just days away, farmers are now left staring at flattened fields and counting losses, hoping for government assessment and relief.
