In the aftermath of Easter Sunday’s sunrise service, Mizoram was besieged by a powerful storm, wreaking havoc across several districts on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. Reports streaming in from Khawzawl, Mamit, Champhai, Saitual, and Mamit districts paint a grim picture of destruction.

In the northeastern district of Khawzawl, reports indicate that at least 71 houses and pig sheds suffered varying degrees of damage in Khawzawl town and nine neighboring villages. The onslaught of strong winds, coupled with heavy rainfall, ravaged church and school buildings, with the local United Pentecostal Church (UPC) structure in Lungtan village collapsing entirely.

Meanwhile, in central Mizoram’s Serchhip district, a grand tent erected at East Lungdar village for the upcoming statewide Presbyterian Church men’s fellowship conference collapsed under the force of the storm. Scheduled to begin on April 12, the ‘Pavalai conference’ faced a setback as the tent, nearing completion, succumbed to the elements.

In Serchhip district’s East Lungdar village, over ten residential buildings suffered damage, with six more buildings affected in nearby Chhiahtlang village. Mamit district, bordering Mizoram-Tripura-Bangladesh, bore the brunt of the storm, with at least ten buildings, including the RMSA school building, sustaining damage. Moreover, the power transmission line from West Phaileng to Mamit town was disrupted, plunging the district headquarters into darkness for the entire day.

Across Damparengpui, Kawrtethawveng, Parvatui, Darlak, and Rawpuichhip villages in Mamit district, numerous buildings faced destruction, with reports of further damage continuing to pour in.

Champhai district, bordering Mizoram and Myanmar, reported damage to six buildings, including schools, while Vaphai village along the Myanmar border witnessed eight homes, including one sheltering a family of Myanmar refugees, being damaged by the ferocious winds. The tempest also ripped off the roofs of seven houses, a church building, and government structures in Bungzung village.

Additionally, two houses in Hnahlan village and one in Khawbung village of Champhai district bore the brunt of the storm. Meanwhile, the Wesleyan Church building at Zokhawthar, an Indo-Myanmar trade center, saw its roof blown away.

Saitual district, bordering Mizoram and Manipur, also witnessed damage to several buildings, with local authorities scrambling to compile detailed reports from affected villages.

Despite the widespread destruction, fortunately, no human casualties have been reported thus far due to the powerful winds and heavy rains that battered parts of Mizoram over the weekend.