Neten Dorji  

More than 115 households in Shongphu gewog of Trashigang lost at least 60 acres of maize and other crops to a windstorm. The windstorm with heavy rainfall on July 15 evening damaged maize fields in Galing of Shongphu gewog.

Galing chiwog Tshogpa, Sonam Tobgay said, “We didn’t experience such severe natural disasters in the past.”

He said that most people in the chiwogs depended on maize and it was their staple food. “Windstorm and heavy rain together flattened all maize plants. We are helpless. Once it is damaged, there is not much chance of recovering,” he added.

Acres of maize plants were flattened in Galing chiwog in Trashigang

Tshogpa said that the gewog administration started assessing the damages as soon as he received complaints from the villagers.

Shogphu Gup, Jigme Thinley said, the windstorm damaged the roof of a house in the gewog. “The two-storey house is partially blown off the roof. One is a makeshift shelter and we’re still assessing the damages.”

The gup said that he was unsure whether the house was insured.“The mangmi and tshogpa are still visiting the sites. The gewog administration is in the process of compiling reports of damage. After the assessment, we would report the incident to the dzongkhag and Royal Insurance Corporation of Bhutan (RICB) office in Trashigang,” he said.

He said that the insurance officers were also at the sites.

Meanwhile, another windstorm damaged 13 homes in Bjenagloongpa-Thingmakha chiwog under Wangdue dzongkhag on July 15 afternnon.

Bjena Gup, Kinley Tawchu, said that roofs of three houses were completely blown off, six houses had half their roofs damaged,  while others were partially torn off.

“I am not sure whether all households were insured since they don’t have receipts to show. We are in the process of verifying the documents at the insurance office.”