Paddy and banana farmers in Sreebardi and Jhenaigati upazilas of Sherpur fear losses after a sudden hailstorm and gusty wind.

At about 8:30pm on Saturday (14 March), a storm with rain and hail hit various parts of Sreebardi and Jhenaigati upazilas. Local people said Jhenaigati got comparatively more hail.

Local people said dark clouds covered the sky after iftar. Gusty wind and rain began at around 8pm, and then intense hail suddenly fell in some areas, with heavy hail seen especially in Jhenaigati Sadar Bazar and Dhanshail and Malijhikanda unions.

Zahidul Haque Monir, convener of Voice of Jhenaigati, said the sudden hail had holed the tin roofs of many homes, and farmers' paddy land and various vegetable fields were also feared damaged. The real extent of the damage could not be assessed immediately in the dark of night; they were gathering information. No one was injured, he said.

Sohel Rana, a trader at Jhenaigati Sadar Bazar, said: "The sky was very heavy after iftar, but I have not seen hail like this with rain so suddenly in the last 15-20 years. I have learned that a lot of hail fell in Jhenaigati Bazar and the surrounding area, and I hear many people suffered damage. But as it is night, it is not yet fully clear."

Rajib Kumar Roy of Dhanshail union said: "There was widespread hail in our union. The hailstones were quite large. The tin roofs of several people's houses have been holed. I have learned that paddy and banana farmers have suffered damage."

Hail also fell in Gosaipur union and Kharia Kazir Char union of Sreebardi upazila.

Jhenaigati Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Al Amin said hail had come with the storm and rain and they were gathering information. The agriculture department would look into losses in farming; if farmers had suffered, action would certainly be taken to help them through agricultural incentives where possible.

He added that those whose homes or tin roofs were damaged could contact the upazila administration. If they contact the office of the upazila Project Implementation Officer (PIO), and if funds are available, arrangements will be made to give them tin and other necessary help.

Sakhawat Hossain, deputy director of the district agriculture department, said information was being collected from various areas that night. Local representatives and field staff were being used to find out the real picture of the damage, he said.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.