Boro crops across 13 unions in four upazilas of Habiganj have been damaged by hailstorms over the past three days, local agriculture officials said.

The affected unions include Badalpur in Ajmiriganj upazila, Pukra, Lakhai, Subidpur and North-East union No. 1 in Baniachong, Lukra, Richi, Nijampur, Laskarpur, Gopaya and Poil in Sadar, and Shanbila and Devanhata in Chunarughat upazila.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), hailstorms accompanied by strong winds hit the district on the night of April 14 and again on April 15 and 16, causing widespread damages to crops.

Preliminary estimates suggest that about 15 hectares of Boro fields in Ajmiriganj, 30 hectares in Baniachong, 90 hectares in Sadar, and 11 hectares in Chunarughat upazila were damaged. Additionally, around 8 hectares of seasonal vegetables in Chunarughat upazila were affected.

Abdul Mannan, a farmer from Uttar Gorang village under Shanbila union, said the storm, which struck between 10:30pm and 11pm on April 15, destroyed nearly half of his paddy on one and half bighas.

He also said vast areas of Boro fields in villages, including Gorangi Dighirpar, Mohimabad, Lalchan, Shanbila, and nearby Devanhata union were badly hit by the hailstorm.

Officials said a target had been set to cultivate Boro paddy on 123,848 hectares of land across nine upazilas in the district in the current season. Against the target, 123,644 hectares have been brought under cultivation.

They also noted that excessive rainfall has caused waterlogging in some areas, submerging around 281 hectares of Boro fields.