"As investigations are still underway, the actual damages incurred by the rain and hail storm cannot be said accurately right now," said Shyam Prasad Ghimire, Senior Agriculture Officer at (DADO).The rain and the hailstorm had destroyed hundreds of acres of rice plants in 11 Village Development Committee (VDCs) across the district. Of these the Dorpachiuridanda, Nerpa, Patheka, Kharmi, Diktel, Ratancha, Nirmalidanda, Hochur, Jalpa VDCs have been affected the most.
DADO claims that at least 985 metric tons of rice valued at Rs 9.4 million, has perished in Dorpachuridanda, Nerpa, Patheka and Kharmi VDCs alone.
"Investigators collecting damage assessment data have shared that the damage in all the affected VDCs ranges between 40-90 percent. Hail storm has ripped off huge amount of property from these areas," said Ghimire.
The hailstorm and rain came at a time when the farmers were preparing reap their monsoon harvest. Their hope and dream for a better harvest has now drained in vain. Rice is the major source of food and economy for farmers of Khotang district.
"We have lost everything. Rice is the source of our living and now everything has perished. I will not be surprised if we don't experience famine in some months from now," said Krishna Prasad Bastola, Chief of Jan Utthan Krishak Samuha at Nerpa VDC-8.
Khotang District Disaster Relief Committee (DDRC) has expressed commitment to help the affected farmers as much possible. The decision was made public after a short meeting on Wednesday.
Unidentified pest eating-out wheat crop
In addition to that, pest have damaged hundreds of hectors of wheat plants in the district. Green and light red in color, this swarm of pest has destroyed hectors of wheat plantations across the district.
The pest were noticed in the district nearly two weeks ago and since then they have incurred heavy damages to wheat crop in Bopung, Dambarkhushivalaya, Kahule, Banjhechyandanda VDCs along with the district headquarter Diktel.
"My farm was full of lush wheat plants and they were promising of a good harvest this year. But these unknown pest destroyed the whole crop," said Rajkumar Basnet, secretary of Singhadevi Agriculture Group at Bopung VDC.
Crop conservation officer at DADO, Swaraswati Shrestha said that that the killer pest look like Helicoverpa but said the office is awaiting reports from the Crop Conservation Directorate Office to confirm it.
Maywan Rai a resident of Banjhechyandanda VDC-8, these pest have been found in Khotang for the first time.
"The crop will look fresh and unaffected from outside but once the seed is revealed, the attack of pest will come to light," said Rai while elaborating how the pest destroys the crop.
It has been estimated that 21,315 hectors of land is arable for wheat plantation in Khotang district.
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