Hailstorm accompanied by rain on Wednesday night had a devastating impact on the Rabi crops at Ankapur, Khirmal and larka villages of larka gram panchayat in Nuapada district. Tile roofs of hundreds of houses were damaged at all these villages.
"We had never experienced such rain in our lives," said the villagers. Some of the hailstones weighed more than three kg each. About two hundred acres of mung, biri and different vegetable crops were damaged at the affected village. Onion crops were damaged in more than 50 acres of land.
"I had cultivated onion in one acre by spending over Rs 20,000. I would have got 150 packets of onion (50 kg each). It has been completely damaged,” said Dina Sabar of Khirmal village. Baldev Bag, Upendra Sabar and seven other farmers of this village had cultivated onion in seven acres, which was also completely destroyed.
The villagers have informed about the damages to the Tehsildar of Boden and have demanded compensation.