Hyderabad, March 23 : Unseasonal rain along with strong winds have caused widespread damage to crops in Telangana and the affected farmers are looking to the government for compensation.
Hailstorms hit north Telangana districts during the last two days, damaging standing crops of paddy, maize and mango.
A few days ago, crops in some districts were withering due to a lack of irrigation water and declining groundwater. But now, the unseasonal rain has destroyed whatever crops the farmers had grown.
Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds reaching 40 to 50 kmph caused huge losses to farmers as the standing crops were submerged. Hailstorms in some districts added to farmers’ woes.
Mango farmers have suffered massive losses from gusty winds that have uprooted trees in several districts. Farmers said the hailstorms hit the mango crop which was almost ready for harvest
Paddy kept at market yards for sale in some places also soaked in the unseasonal rain.
The gusty winds also damaged electric poles and transformers, disrupting electricity supply.
Hundreds of bags of paddy and maize kept at the market yard in Sangareddy soaked in rain, causing huge losses to farmers. The district received heavy rain accompanied by lightning and gusty winds.
In the Kamareddy district, maize crops were inundated due to unseasonal rain. A farmer said in just 30 minutes of hailstorm he lost everything.
The affected farmers have appealed to the government to come to their rescue by compensating for the losses.
Chief Secretary A. Santhi Kumari reviewed the situation after a hailstorm hit north Telangana. She directed the district administrations to be on alert and accessible to people in view of the forecast of more rain.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast light to moderate rain or thundershowers at isolated places over the next two days.
It has issued an orange alert for north Telangana districts.
According to Met Office, thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds (40-50 kmph) and hailstorms are very likely to occur at isolated places in Kumuram Bheem Asifabad, Mancherial, Peddapalli, Jayashankar Bhupalapally, Mulugu, Mahabubabad, Warangal, Hanamkonda, Jangaon districts.
–IANS