VietNamNet Bridge – The hailstorm occurring in the early morning of March 27, in the three districts of Bac Ha, Muong Khuong and Si Ma Cai in Lao Cai province damaged nearly 12,000 houses, causing losses of about VND70 billion or $3.5 million.
Hail in Lao Cai, thousands of roofs broken
A destructed preschool after the hail.
The local Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Control said 34 communes of the three above districts were hit by hail, including 13 out of 16 communes of Muong Khuong district.
The ice pieces that were as big as fists damaged the roofs of 7,000 houses in Muong Khuong, injured 30 people. The Muong Khuong district police headquarters was collapsed in the hailstone.
In Bac Ha district, the roofs of more than 2,500 houses in 12 out of 21 communes were leaky. The number is more than 2,300 houses in 9 out of 3 communes in Si Ma Cai district. The local authorities have provided injured victims with VND500,000 ($25) per person.
The local government instructed competent bodies to contact roof sheet manufacturers to purchase 10,000 roof pieces to serve the people to overcome the consequences of natural disasters.
Previously, from 0h50 to 1h10 am on March 27, a large hailstone (with ice pieces of 4-14cm in size) forced the people to hide themselves under beds or tables. Meteorological expert said that this is the hailstone with the biggest ice pieces so far.
Mai Anh