Aizawl, July 31: Armies of rats have ravaged maize and other crops in Mizoram, agricultural officials said on wednesday. Aizawl district alone accounted for more than 20 percent of maize harvest loss after rats damaged crops, State Agriculture Department officials said after maize harvest at Phullen and surrounding villages in eastern part of Aizawl district. In south Mizoram's Lawngtlai district, rats not only destroyed maize but also nibbled standing paddy stems, District Agriculture Officer Rohmingthanga Colney said. The affected villages in the district included Lungzarhtum, Bualpui-NG, Lungpher, Rawlbuk, Vanhne and Rulkual where mass poisoning of rats was intiated. Villages like Serkhan, Bukpui and surrounding villages in Mizoram-Assam border were also hit by rats, Kolasib District Agriculture Officer Lalrinliana said. Apart from maize, rats also attacked other crops like pumpkin, cucumber, chilli and watermelon, he said. Sailam and surrounding villages in Serchhip district also lost an estimated 75 per cent of expected maize harvest, the officials said. The officials said rat menace was compounded in the areas where mautam or gregarious flowering of bamboo variety of Dendrocalamus Hamiltoni, locally known as "Phulrua' was found. Rat population goes up exponentially after eating bamboo flowers and seeds, which happens once in around 48 years.