Hailstones reek havoc in Kandahar

Tuesday was a weird day here in Kandahar.  That is quite a statement as this place has some pretty messed up things happening daily but yesterday was a new one.

We got hit by a thunderstorm/hail that lasted about 30 minutes, pelting everything with hailstones as large as golfballs.  It destroyed cars, windsheilds, tables and just about everything that was outside.

 

The Hail punched holes in our picnic tables that were outside.

 

 

 

The sad news was that three local Afghan Citizens were killed by the hailstones, getting hit in the head hard enough to take their lives.

 

Of all the ways to get killed in this country, ( and there are many), no one ever wrote on a death certificate, " Killed by Hailstone " until today.

 

This place never ceases to amaze me as it is crazy here in Kandahar.  Time to go home in about 27 days.....sounds like a plan.  Get outta here and go home.

Wild Weather in Kandahar

We had a bout of violent thunderstorms tear through Kandahar. Our offices were pummeled by high winds and torrential rain for about an hour today.  It was a strong storm and when we made our way back from the office park to the residential camp a mile away, we saw how strong it really was. 

A work yard just near our residential camp was hit by a microburst as every structure in the work yard was flattened.  This was a work yard that was about 100 yards wide and about 300 yards long.  No structure survived and the perimeter fence was down with some of the trees in this area snapped in two like twigs. Our residential camp was OK but the large antenna mast that holds our internet dish was knocked down.

We have lost our main internet connection and are limited to net connectivity at our office for the newt few days. 

The weather here can be powerful when it wants to and this was one of those times.  When a storm comes across the open desert, there is little to slow it down or stop it.

The last three days of wild weather ended with a brilliant sunset on Tuesday evening.  It was nice to see and standing there admiring God's handiwork while smoking a cigar was the perfect way to end the day.