Hyderabad: Unseasonal rains and hailstorm over the past few days have killed seven people and injured 58 others across the state. According to the Meteorological Centre in Hyderabad, the hailstorm occurred between 3.20 pm and 3.30 pm on Wednesday.
“The hailstorm was accompanied by gale winds with the speed of 40 knots per hour,” said M. Narsimha Rao, assistant meteorologist at the centre. Warangal was affected the most, with Gudur receiving the highest rainfall of 53.4 mm. Four people died here and all the 58 people injured were from different parts of the districts.
Of the total seven deaths, four were recorded in Warangal, two in Anantapur and one in Nizamabad. Moreover, 374 houses in Medak, Adilabad, Kurnool and Anantapur were damaged and crops in over 70,000 hectare were damaged.
“Hailstorms are a common feature between February and May and they cause extensive damage to crops as well as property,” said the disaster management department.
All the 10 districts of Telangana; Anantapur and Kurnool districts in Rayalaseema; Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, West Godavari and Guntur in Coastal Andhra received rainfall on Wednesday. Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan, who is in Delhi on a two-day visit, directed the Chief Secretary over the phone to review the situation with the agriculture department and the district collectors of the affected districts, and submit an assessment report on crop loss. Light to moderate rain will continue, says MET officials.
