Bhopal, April 4 (IANS) A sudden and severe change in weather triggered by a Western Disturbance brought havoc across several districts of Madhya Pradesh on Saturday, with hailstones as large as lemons and chickpeas pelting down and blanketing roads in a thick white sheet.
The fury was most intense in Gwalior city and its surrounding areas, where heavy rains were followed by two successive rounds of hailstorms in the afternoon.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that between 3:50 pm and 4:05 pm, hailstones measuring approximately 2.5 cm in diameter fell, an extremely rare event that shattered a 50-year weather record in the region.
Earlier, hailstones measuring 1.5 cm in diameter had fallen for about 10 minutes.
Six people, including two women, sustained injuries in various parts of Gwalior due to the storm. A wall at a private hospital collapsed amid the heavy downpour, while several vehicles were damaged. Roads across the city turned white, resembling a snow-covered landscape.
The unseasonal weather also affected other districts. In Bhind district’s Lahar tehsil, strong winds accompanied light hail in dozens of villages, though the city itself saw only light drizzle.
In Betul district’s Multai tehsil and surrounding areas, fierce winds, storms, and heavy hailstorms turned fields, courtyards, and roads into a white blanket.
Farmers reported complete destruction of standing wheat, gram, and other crops, leaving them devastated.
Morena district witnessed rainfall accompanied by chickpea-sized hailstones from Kailaras to the Kumheri region.
In Barwani, unseasonal rains have threatened ripe wheat crops, along with Dollar Gram and maize. Increased moisture levels have raised fears of spoilage and reduced yields.
Farmers across the affected regions are deeply anxious. Many had already harvested crops that now lie exposed in the fields, while standing crops have suffered extensive damage.
The picturesque white covering of hail has turned into a painful sight for the agrarian community.
The Meteorological Department, Bhopal Centre, has attributed the abrupt weather shift to a Western Disturbance. It has issued warnings of continued thunderstorms, lightning, and hail with strong winds.
“A hailstorm accompanied by lightning and winds up to 70 kmph is likely over Bhind, Shivpuri, Kuno National Park, and East Sagar. Moderate thunderstorms with hail and winds up to 60 kmph are expected in several other areas, including Morena, Gwalior, North Betul, and Damoh. Thunderstorm with lightning over Sheopur Kalan, East Raisen, Central Sagar, Central Betul, East Narmadapuram, Pachmarhi, West Jabalpur, Datia, Ratangarh, Nivari, Orchha, North Chhatarpur, Khajuraho, Seoni, Katni, Pandhurna, Pench, Central Chhindwada, Sehore, East Rajgarh, North Bhopal, Navibag, North Vidisha, South Dhar, South Indore, North Khargone, Maheshwar, and Central Khandwa in the night hours. These conditions are likely to persist until April 5, with temperatures expected to drop by 1 to 2 degrees,” senior weather scientist and director of Bhopal IMD Centre Ved Prakash Singh said.
While the general public has welcomed the respite from the scorching summer heat, the agricultural community remains worried about significant losses to the rabi crop.
Authorities are monitoring the situation closely as farmers assess the extent of damage.
–IANS
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