Kathmandu, April 1

The windstorm last night is likely to have inflicted a huge industrial loss in Parsa.

Although there was no casualty reported from the industrial corridor of Bara and Parsa, industrial infrastructure has been destroyed. According to industrialists from the affected districts, the industrial corridors have seen huge loss of infrastructure as well as products.

Of the two, Parsa has seen major losses. Anil Kumar Agrawal, vice-president of Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said most of the factory buildings in the industrial area were damaged by the windstorm. As the windstorm blew away roofs of some industrial buildings, products that were stored in buildings have been destroyed by the rain that followed the storm.

“Almost all the industrial buildings have collapsed while roofs of a few remaining buildings were ripped away,” Agrawal said, adding, “All the raw materials, machinery and other equipment have also been destroyed by the storm.”

According to him, the food industry, in particular, has suffered a major share of the loss, with buildings and products ruined.

“Almost all food factories have been destroyed. The cement industry has also faced a similar fate,” Agrawal said, adding, “Trishakti Cement, Kalash Cement and Bishwakarma Cement have witnessed major loss due to the storm.”

Besides, all the electricity poles have been knocked down due to which the affected area does not have power supply. It will be difficult to restart factories without electricity.

“The industrial area may have witnessed losses worth billions of rupees,” he stated, adding that the actual loss can be calculated only after a few weeks when the situation normalises.

“We are busy with rescue work and distribution of relief materials. We are yet to calculate the exact amount of loss,” he said, adding, “More than a dozen businesses have invested billions in their factories, hence the loss incurred could be around that figure.”

Meanwhile, industrial areas in Bara and Rautahat districts have witnessed little damage. “The windstorm affected mostly villages in Bara,” said Ram Ashish Shah, secretary of Bara Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He, however, said damaged electricity poles in the industrial area have affected industries.

Likewise, in Rautahat a few industrial workers were injured within the industrial corridor, but no infrastructure was damaged.