Two storms in one day and night, and the maize is flat on the ground

Two rounds of storm crossed this farmer's maize field at Akhanagar in Thakurgaon Sadar within a single day and night: hail on the Saturday morning, then wind and rain again in the middle of that night. Across wide stretches of several upazilas the maize plants were driven flat into the soil, leaving no certainty of any harvest at all. The farmer said the working capital he had put into the season was gone with it. Other growers in the same report lost bitter gourd and its trellises on 2 acres, and the fruit-set on 1 acre of mango orchard. The district agriculture office expected chilli and maize to be the worst hit and was still collecting damage figures. Maize is a tall, top-heavy crop that has to stand in the open through the whole pre-monsoon storm season.