Incessant rain accompanied by heavy gales lashed several parts of Telangana causing widespread damage to the standing crops since Saturday night.
Reports reaching here said turmeric kept for drying in open places, harvested paddy were inundated due to the rains. Mango orchards were also hit by the rains.
Gandhari records highest
A Nizamabad report said Gandhari mandal recorded highest rainfall of 48.2 mm, followed by Yellareddy (42 mm) Jukkal (40 mm), Dichpally (32 mm) and Banswada (19 mm). All the 36 mandals recorded rainfall ranging from 48 mm to 10 mm. The rain is useful to paddy where it was transplanted late. However, it has damaged standing jowar crop.
According to Joint Director of Agriculture K. Narsimha, hailstorm occurred in Sirikonda and Bheemgal mandals three days back damaging paddy in 1,400 hectare. The latest rains did not harm standing crops much as the entire sunflower crop and 80 per cent of maize has already been harvested.
However, harvested turmeric was soaked in the rainwater at Ramchandrapally of Makloor mandal and maize, mango and sunflower were damaged in Yellareddy, Balkonda, Navipet, Sadasivanagar and Darpally mandals.
Deluge in Medak
In Medak district, heavy rains led to inundation of low-lying areas at several places. The roof-top of Zilla Parishat High School at Atmakur in Sadasahivapet mandal collapsed due to the rain. Furniture, computers and other material were totally damaged.
Harvested paddy that has been kept in the open for drying was damaged at several places due to heavy rain. Toopran registered about 50 mm rainfall. Hailstorm occurred at some places on Saturday and damaged paddy and jowar crops in an extent of 435 hectares, according to Joint Director Bhukya Naik.
Heavy loss in Karimnagar
The scene was no different in Karimnagar district where extensive damage was caused to the standing and harvested crops. Rains and hailstorm had inflicted heavy loss on the standing crops, particularly in Jagtial revenue division, a week ago as they were ready for harvesting. The fresh rains also caused extensive damage to the standing paddy, maize, vegetables, mango and other crops in Husnabad, Koheda, Chigurumamidi, Veenavanka, Vemulawada, Sircilla, Yellareddypet, Mustabad, Manthani and other mandals.
The district recorded average rainfall of 18.1 mm. Sircilla division recorded 20.6 mm, Karimnagar division18.4 mm, Huzurabad 17.5 mm, Jagtial, 19.1 mm, Peddapalli 16.2 mm and Manthani 15 mm.
Mango orchards hit in Nalgonda
Nalgonda Staff Reporter adds: The untimely rains caused great to farmers as standing crops damaged in a huge extent of area.
Particularly standing paddy crop and paddy brought to IKP procurement centre was damaged due to rains.
As many as 50 mandals out of 59 have experienced rain during the past 24 hours.
Speaking to The Hindu a farmer from Thatikal village of Nakrekal mandal, Byreddy Malla Reddy said that they have brought the paddy to procurement centre four days ago but the government agency did not purchase it.
As the procurement centre was set up in farm lands due to lack of proper market, the paddy farmer said they could not protect the paddy from water.
“The IKP is not in a state to supply tarpaulins to protect the produce”, he lamented.
Another farmer, Venkat Reddy appealed the State government to direct the procurement agencies to purchase the wet paddy by offering MSP.
Due to lack of rains through out the year, Mr. Reddy said that the production and productivity had was gone down drastically this year, but the untimely rains had hit their hopes of getting at least the investment back.
The mango orchards in Marriguda and Narayanapur mandals were also damaged sue to the rain.
Ramannapet, Narketpally and Chandampet mandals have witnessed 36 mm, 33.8 mm and 28.2 mm rainfall respectively, while the district received an average rainfall of 8.2mm. Meanwhile at Martur village near Miryalaguda, a house was damaged as lighting struck.
Luckily, all the family members were sleeping outside the house when the incident happened.
Electronic goods like television and others were damaged.
Disruption in power supply
Adilabad Special Correspondent adds: Gale force winds accompanied with unseasonal showers caused disruption of power supply at many places including parts of Adilabad town on Saturday-Sunday night.
There however, was no loss of standing crop of jowar, maize or mango anywhere in the district.
