Heavy hailstorm and rainfall witnessed across the city on Wednesday made the weather conditions abrupt and harsh for the citizens. Strong and short spells of rains brought white stones (hails) causing problems to the residents and peasants in other parts of the State as well.
The rain recorded in the State capital in past 24 hours was 39 mm, which is the maximum in the history of Bhopal in the month of February after 1986. The inclement weather resulted into power cuts and water-logging at several places in the city.
Met department officials told that the entire State would witness similar conditions in the next 24 hours. Huge loss to the wheat and grams crops has been reported across the State. According to survey conducted by the administration around 1871 villages across 18 districts have been affected severely and the most severely affected villages have been reported in Neemuch district. In the nearby districts Sehore district recorded highest rainfall in the past 15 years in the month of February. The district recorded 4.8 cm rainfall.
Hailstorm on Wednesday further augmented the worries of Sehore farmers suffering from crops damaged due to strong winds and heavy rainfall in the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday. As many as 250 villages of Sehore district have reported hailstorms. The hail stones fell at enormous speed disrupting normal life of the villagers. Sehore district Collector Kavindra Kiyawat along with officials of revenue department has surveyed the areas with damaged crops.Rewa, Sagar, Jabalpur and Shahdol divisions would4 receive thundershowers and rainfall in the next 24 hours.
Warning of hailstorm in isolated places in Guna, Satna, Gwalior, Sagar and Khajuraho has been issued by the Met department. Bhopal recorded 13 mm while Bairgarh recorded 7 mm of rainfall on Wednesday. Hailstorms and rainfall would be witnessed across the state in the next 24 hours warning.
Ashta 6.5 cm, Budni 5.2 cm, Ichhwar 5 cm, Sehore 4 cm, Bhopal 3.9 cm and Nasrullahganj 3 cm were among the regions which received the highest rainfall in the state in the past 24 hours.