Rain destroys crops in Nashik, Marathwada

The unseasonal rainfall and hailstorm in parts of Maharashtra on Friday has destroyed crops. Even Mumbai and Thane received light rainfall, bringing down the mercury level.

Rain battered Nashik and Marathwada causing severe damage to life, crops and livestock. The downpour was witnessed in Nashik at 1 am on Friday, while incessant rainfall has been reported since the last three days in the district. Thousands of hectares of crops such as onion, grapes, pomegranates, vegetables, wheat, chickpeas, among others were destroyed, farmers said.

In Mumbai, the Dadar, Worli, Mulund, Ghatkopar, Jogeshwari and Kandivali areas received light showers. Heavy showers were reported in the adjoining Thane. In Mumbai, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday recorded maximum temperature of 35.8 degrees Celsius in Santa Cruz and 33.4 degrees Celsius in Colaba. The minimum temperature in Santa Cruz was recorded at 23 degrees Celsius and 24.2 degrees Celsius in Colaba.

On Wednesday, the IMD predicted light showers in Mumbai due to an increase in moisture across the western coast.

The highest damage was reported from Baglan tehsil in Nashik where onion and pomegranate orchards were flattened. Baglan tehsildar Ashwinikumar Potdar said that teams from the revenue, agriculture and block development departments were conducting assessment of losses. “We are still in the fields doing our job. The report will be sent to the collector, who will send it to the government,” he said. “The bulk of losses were for the onion crop followed by wheat, pomegranates and other crops,” Mr Potdar said.

Farmer Hemantrao Chandratre from Baglan said that the losses were severe and would break the backbone of farmers, especially marginal farmers. “Onion losses are considerable. Many pomegranate orchards have been laid to waste. We hope the government steps in quickly to give aid to farmers,” Mr Chandratre stated.

In Nashik city, electricity was disrupted at the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) filtration plant, which in turn disrupted water supply to various areas, including industrial zones on Friday.

The highest rainfall of 16 mm was recorded in Trimbakeshwar followed by 12 mm in Igatpuri and 8 mm each in Nashik, Ojhar and Pimpalgaon Baswant, Met sourcessaid.