Unseasonal hail and rain damage crops across Nepal

Sudden, heavy rainfall and hailstorms swept across parts of Nepal on November 11, causing widespread damage to ripening paddy and millet crops. The unseasonal weather, which occurred during the Bhai Tika festivities, resulted in significant agricultural losses, particularly in eastern districts. In Sankhuwasabha, residents in Khadbari Municipality reported that fields were decimated by the wind and hail. Farmers in Bhojpur and Ilam have expressed similar concerns, noting that the storms harmed ready-to-harvest paddy, though some cardamom crops in Ilam reportedly benefited from the precipitation. The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology recorded 31.2 millimeters of rainfall in Kathmandu, attributing the event to an interaction between cooling westerly winds and local moisture.

While the Agriculture Knowledge Centre in Sankhuwasabha is waiting for the Tihar holidays to conclude before conducting formal damage assessments, the outlook for recovery is positive. Meteorologist Sanjeev Adhikari stated that weather conditions are expected to improve starting November 12, as the transient atmospheric system weakens.