Myagdi, Nepal – A devastating hailstorm struck Nepal’s Myagdi district last evening, causing severe damage to winter crops that were ready for harvest. The hailstorm, which lasted for three hours, followed a prolonged drought that weakened the crops in Raghuganga rural municipality and Beni municipality.
Farmers report extensive losses to wheat, barley, and legumes. Additionally, flowering citrus trees were stripped bare by the rains and hailstone. The adversity was particularly severe in Piple, Bhagawati, Kalejabang, Mauwaphant, Beg, Dagnam, Jhin, and Pakhapani of Raghuganga rural municipality, as well as Patlekhet, Ghatan, Pulauchar, Arthunge, Bagarphant, and Beni of Beni municipality.
Bhadra Bahadur Baniya, a farmer from Beni municipality-9, expressed despair over the destruction of his cereals, mustard seedlings, and vegetables due to the heavy hailstone. “We were ready to harvest our crops, but the hailstone destroyed it all of a sudden,” he lamented.
Bhawa Bahadur Bhandari, Chairman of Raghuganga rural municipality, stated that efforts are underway to collect detailed information on the losses and damages caused by the hailstorm at the ward level.
