Residents in areas of Mamon, Sai Taung, and Ywar Haung in Hpakant Township, Kachin State, encountered a rare hailstorm around 10:30 pm on March 26, causing damage to several roofs, as reported by locals.
"We've never experienced this kind of situation. It lasted for only twenty minutes. The wind is also strong. The zinc sheet roofs are damaged terribly. I think people may die if they stay outside. It's like throwing stones. Mamon, Sai Taung, and Ywar Haung faced terribly. In Hpakant, only a small size of hail dropped. Now the price of zinc sheet for the roof has gone up from 2,500 kyats per foot to 3,000 kyats now," said a local.
U Naing Lin Htwe, Staff Officer of the Kachin State Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH), explained that the phenomenon was caused by a whirlwind rising from the Bay of Bengal in Kachin State. "It's a phenomenon that happens in February, March, and April. The weather becomes too hot, water evaporates, and the air becomes unstable. As a result, thunderstorms and strong winds happen. It could happen again but not every day," he added.
