Sylhet Hit by First Hailstorm of 2025 – Crops and Homes Battered in Kalboishakhi Storm

Sylhet, Bangladesh — A sudden hailstorm swept across Sylhet district on Thursday evening (13 March 2025), catching residents and farmers off guard. Beginning around 6:00 p.m. with distant thunder, the storm intensified by 8:15 p.m., when pea-to-marble-sized hailstones battered the upazilas of Sylhet Sadar, Jaintiapur, Gowainghat, Golapganj, Kanaighat and Zakiganj. Intermittent hail and gusty “Kalboishakhi” squalls continued into the night, subsiding only after midnight.

According to Rudra Talukdar, senior meteorologist at the Sylhet station of the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, the district recorded 5.4 millimeters of rainfall by 9:00 p.m. Despite the modest accumulation, hail and sudden strong winds followed, resulting in localized damage across the region.

In just five to ten minutes, fields of watermelon, paddy, vegetables and other seasonal crops were pounded by the storm. “My watermelons were still ripening,” said Rahim Mia, a grower in Gowainghat. “Now the fruit is ruined.” In nearby Jaintiapur, household damage was also reported. “My tin roof has holes,” said Ayna Mia. “Rainwater is pouring into my home.”

Strong gusts snapped power lines in several areas, interrupting electricity supply. Crews from the Power Development and Distribution Division worked through the night to restore service via temporary lines and complete permanent repairs by dawn.

Local administration teams, along with representatives from the Department of Agricultural Extension, have launched field surveys to assess the full extent of crop losses. With low-lying basins and beels already waterlogged, authorities have urged extra vigilance for potential flash flooding and further storm damage in the coming days.