DAMAULI, FEBRUARY 16

Heavy hailstorm coupled with rain destroyed crops in various wards of Suklagandaki Municipality, Tanahun, last evening.

Hailstones damaged crops in the farms of wards 9,10, 11 and 12. Ward 10 Chair Ram Chandra Bhandari said hailstorm had completely damaged the crops. "Crop farming worth more than Rs five million was destroyed," Bhandari said.

The hailstones damaged tomatoes and winter vegetables.

Potatoes were also badly damaged in the hailstorm, according to Bhandari.

Ward 12 Chair Manraj Gurung said that rain coupled with hailstones had damaged grass planted for livestock, and also vegetables.

The hailstorm that lasted from 4:00pm to 6:00pm destroyed vegetables and other farm products. The scale of the damage has left farmers devastated.

Agriculture Knowledge Centre, Tanahun, Chief Kul Prasad Tiwari said that exact details of the damage caused by the hailstorm was yet to be collected.

"We are working to collect the damage caused to the vegetables," said Tiwari.

A version of this article appears in the print on February 17, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.