CHANDEL, April 23: The continuing spell of thunderstorms accompanied by hails sweeping across the State has also left its trail of destruction in Chandel district.
Several houses were damaged in the thunderstorm. Other structures like church buildings and government buildings were also damaged at Tengnoupal sub-division in Chandel district as a storm accompanied by hails which were bigger than a eggs wreak havoc today, perforating most of the rooftop GI sheets at Tengnoupal, Chahmol, Khongkhang, Senam, Saivom, Phalbung and in Molnoi areas around 1:30pm.
Windshields of some vehicles were also shattered by the hails.
At Keipham Village under Machi sub-division, the GI sheets rooftop of a villager was partially blown off by a storm today.
At Chothe Khunou Village under Chandel Block, a total of nine houses were damaged by the thunderstorm last Friday.
Out of 9 houses, two thatched structures were completely collapsed on the ground while the rooftops of the other houses were blown away during the storm.
However, no human casualty has been reported till now in the district.
The villagers whose houses were damaged at Chothe Khunou are identified as M. Shanpi-Widow, 52, M. Ahanjao, 41, Kh. Robert, 37, Pr. Roudai, 32, Pr. Rouhoi, 28, Y. Chongadi, 48, Kh. Ering, 56, Y. Mary, 47 and Pr. Samson, 45.
Speaking to media persons, Y. Waichung Chothe, chief of Chothe Khunou said that the thunderstorm accompanied by rain damaged 9 houses in the village at around 4.00 p.m. yesterday.
The family of the two houses which had collapsed during the thundershower are presently taking refuge at other houses in the village.
The village chief has further appealed to the concerned authority to provide some relief assistance to the villagers who houses were damaged.
Meanwhile, NPF Manipur unit vice president Ts Beton Anal accompanied by others including Organisation For Tribal Benefit Programme secretary Hb Joseph visited the Chothe Khunou Village and interacted with the villagers whose houses were damaged by thunderstorm today.
Beton handed over a sum of Rs 10,000 while a social worker MK Damtin also handed over a sum of Rs 3000 to the village chief as relief assistance for the villagers.
Chothe Lim Abom Manipur (CLAM) the apex body of Chothe Tribe led by its president Th. Mawlsawm Chothe and Th. Hopeson Chothe, member 9-Purum DCC also visited and interacted with the villagers of Chothe Khunou today.