April 18: In Phuentsholing, the Chhukha Dzongkhag administration officials are assessing and investigating the extent of damage caused by the strong winds on Saturday and Sunday nights.

The roof of Wangdigatshel community school under Japcho geog was blown off while the roof of a community school in Chongaykha was also blown off.

The preliminary report from Chhukha Dzongkhag said that the roofs were immediately restored to avoid disruption of normal class schedule for the students.

Eleswhere in Sampheling geog, the roof of the Gup’s office was also blown off by strong winds on Saturday night. The Pheuntsholing General Hospital also sustained minor damages and the management is currently assesiing the extent of damage.

At Dophulakha, roofs of two semi-permenant houses were blown off while eight semi permenant houses are reported damaged at Pachudara under Phuentsholing geog. Although no major casulty were reported, a 16-year-old girl was wounded in Pachudara village.

Dzongrab Pema Wangdi added that roofs of two more houses at Toribari were also blown off by the strong winds. At Kabraytar and Dhamdara, the roofs of three buildings were blown off. Another roof of a house in Bongo was also blown off.

Apart from blowing off the roofs, the windstorm also broke tree branches. The Dzongkhag is carrying out further investigation in the other geogs.

Over in Gelephu, the heavy downpour, strong winds and lightning over the weekend has left a trail of destruction in Gelephu.

The strong winds on Saturday night has destroyed several houses, areca nut and cocunut palm. Our reporter Sonam Rinchen says that the strong winds on Saturday night have also left a few homeless.

The ferocity of the winds blew off roofs of houses, uprooting trees and distrupting cable lines. At Pelrithang,the roof of a house was blown off. No casualties were reported.

The strong winds also took with the roofs of several houses in Dovan geog and Gong village. In Lucky Tar, a bungalow was damaged by lightning. The family of five, lost all their belongings including cash and ornaments in the fire caused by the lightning on Sunday morning.

The house owner, a school teacher of Gelephu Lower Secondary School said that he has been receiving aid from neighbours and friends.