31 persons killed in gale, hailstorm in Bara & Parsa districts of Nepal

Satish Aditya
Raxaul (Bihar):  At least 31  persons died and 400 others were injured as a gale coupled with hailstorm and heavy rain hit the
southern districts  of Nepal bordering India on March 31, 2019, late evening. The officials of affected Nepal districts have confirmed 27 persons in Bara and 4 people of Parsa districts were killed in the gale and hailstorm. Army jawans have been deployed for rescue and relief operations. All the injured persons have been admitted to Medical college hospital and Narayani regional hospital at Birgunj, Nepal.

Rajesh Poudel, CDO (Chief District Officer), Bara District, told this reporter that Pheta area of the district is worst hitas the gale and hailstorm swept southern part of Tarai. Police have recovered 26 bodies so far from Pheta area and sent them for
post-mortem. Hailstorm coupled with rain lashed this area for half-an-hour damaging Mango and Litchi crops, standing wheat and other crops in the area. Hundreds of house were blown away and trees uprooted in this area. The high tension electricity poles with wire were uprooted and reportedly several persons were electrocuted, according to preliminary report.   SP, Parsa, Rewati Dhakal, said  10 passenger buses parked in Birgunj bus park were also damaged in the storm. Four persons were killed in the storm in this district, he said. Hundreds of house,trees and electricity and telephone poles were also damaged.

Nepal PM’s Adviso Wishnu Rimal said that two battalions of Army are engaged in rescue and relief operations innthe storm affected areas. Nepal PM K P Sharma Oli has expressed shock over the loss of human lives in Tarai area of the country. All possible help would be provided to the affected families, he assured.

Raj Kumar, a resident of  Kawahi in Parsa district, said that once again the people of Tarai have suffered a lot due to the natural disaster after earthquake.” We have lost everything. The crops have been completely destroyed,” he said. Prof Nalini, a native of Janakpur, said that the Tarai people once again  lost everything.