KATHMANDU: A heavy hailstorm on Tuesday, damaged the paddy crop at Jyamrukkot of Beni Municipality in Myagdi district.

The hailstorm caused damage equivalent to Rs 7.5 million, according to ward chair of Beni Municipality-2, Hira Bahadur Thapa. He said paddy, millet, vegetables and fruits at Gaushwara, Tamane, Bimirabot, Phaparkhet among other places in the municipality were damaged.

It is said the hailstorm completely destroyed the paddy belonging to 150 families and partly damaged another 150 families’ in Jyamrukkot.

Ward chair Thapa was quoted in Rastriya Samachar Samiti as saying that an emergency meeting of the municipality wards has been called which is collecting the information on the accurate figure of the damage.

After the paddy and other crops were destroyed by the hailstorm, the farmers are worried that they will have nothing left to eat if they are not given adequate compensation by the local government.