Qacha’snek – 03, Feb- A destructive hailstorm that struck on Sunday evening has left several villages in Sehlabathebe, Qacha’s Nek district, reeling after widespread destruction of maize, fruits, and vegetables in both fields and household gardens.
The hardest-hit villages include Lebenkeleng, Ha Kaatela, and Ha Mavuka, where residents say crops were almost completely wiped out within minutes.
The disaster comes at a critical time for Qacha’s Nek, a district already grappling with severe malnutrition driven by climate change, poor feeding practices, inadequate hygiene and sanitation, and limited access to diverse foods. According to the Lesotho Demographic and Health Survey (LDHS) 2023–24, Qacha’s Nek has the highest stunting rate in the country at 48 percent. Food insecurity in the district is also the worst nationwide, with recent findings from the Lesotho Vulnerability Assessment Committee (LVAC) indicating that 40.9 percent of households are food insecure.
Speaking to the Agency, Sehlabathebe Chieftainess ’Matheko Makhaola expressed deep concern, noting that families were already struggling before the storm.
“We won’t be harvesting anything this season. Even fruits fell down, with only a few left on the trees,” she said. “We are going to die of hunger. The hailstorm that occurred in early December missed us at Ha Mavuka, but this time we are also victims.”…
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