Kelzang Wangchuk

Two chiwogs of Toetsho gewog in Trashiyangtse experienced heavy rains for about three hours after 1pm on September 28, which ruined about 15 acres of maize belonging to more than 40 households.

Sep village of Sep-Ngangkhar chiwog was the worst hit. More than 20 households lost their maize harvest, while those in Draktsa-Sertsho chiwog also lost some of its maize crop and left farmers devastated.

They said that every household has lost more than an acre after raising the crops and guarding them against monkeys, wild boars, deer and other wild animals every night up to the present. “It’s all gone now.”

For most farmers in these chiwogs, they said, maize is their staple food. Since the maize plants have grown more mature, there is not much chance of them recovering.

“We are losing interest in farm work, witnessing our hard work vanish this way,” one of the farmers said.

Sep-Nangkhar chiwog tshogpa, Rinzin Dorji, said that the rainstorm damaged the maize plants in Nangkhar Goenpa, Pangthang Goenpa, Sep, Cholabtsa, Pungthung, and Sengphu villages in his chiwog.

He said that he received complaints from more than 40 households, and that it was likely to increase, as he has not yet received reports from Cholabtsa village. “The storm also affected a house in Sengphu.”

He said that it has also damaged an acre of paddy in Sep village.

Toetsho Gup Dechen Wangdi said that the gewog received the reports from the Draktsa-Sertsho and Sep-Nangkhar chiwog tshogpas, and made a report to the dzongkhag administration. “The officials told us they would come and assess the damage today.”