Despite the meteorological forecast of probable hailstorm, people in different parts of Dehradun were caught unawares when considerably large hailstones about the size of tennis balls fell from the skies on Thursday.
The hailstorm caused damage in varying intensity to homes and other constructions apart from injuries to human beings although no fatalities were reported from the district. The authorities received reports of the hailstones causing damage and injuries from several areas.
According to the State Meteorological centre, the maximum and minimum temperature in Dehradun on Thursday was reported to be 34.4 ºC and 23.2 ºC, respectively. In other locations of the State, the maximum and minimum temperatures on Thursday were reported to be 35.5 ºC and 26.8 ºC respectively in Pantnagar, 26.4 ºC and 14.3 ºC respectively in Mukteshwar along with 27.6 and 16.2 respectively in New Tehri.
Further, the weather forecast by the State meteorological centre on Friday is the possibility of light to moderate rain/thunderstorm at a few places across the State.
For the Dehradun region, the weather on Friday is forecast to be partly cloudy skies along with the possibility of rain/thunderstorm likely to occur in some areas. The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to be around 35ºC and 21ºC respectively in Dehradun on Friday.
It should be mentioned here that as forecast by the department, the morning saw rain accompanied by hailstones during the daytime. According to the Meteorological centre, the system causing the weather events is still continuing which may result in light to medium rain or rain accompanied by thunder in some parts of the State.
The general temperature is expected to remain normal in both the mountainous and plain regions of the State on Friday. In Dehradun, Cabinet Minister and Dharmpur MlA Dinesh Aggarwal inspected the damage caused by hail to agricultural crops and constructions in different areas including Banjarawala, Mothrowala, Azadnagar Muslim Colony among other places in his constituency area.
The Minister directed the Tehsildar to undertake an assessment of the damage caused to crops and homes and submit a report on the same to the district administration. In the above stated areas, the rain accompanied by hailstones is reported to have caused damage to about 250 buildings with asbestos sheets apart from which considerable damage has been sustained by the standing crops.
Inspecting the damage in various areas, Agrawal directed the Tehsildar and Patwari to take their task seriously and submit their report without delay.
He said that he would provide all possible help from his level apart from which compensation will also be provided for the damage.