Patna--Forty-two persons were killed and over 100 injured as cyclonic storms hit Seemanchal belt of Purnia and Katihar and Kosi region of Madhepura and Saharsa on Tuesday night.
Though the state government is yet to assess the extent of damage to crops, Purnia suffered maximum damage where 12 blocks are worst-affected.
Farmers of Kosi-Seemanchal belt are the latest to be affected by the devastation wreaked by unseasonal rain and heavy winds just around the time Rabi crops’ harvesting and arrival in the markets.
hief Minister Nitish Kumar, who conducted aerial survey of affected areas, said: “Crops at most places are flattened. We have spoken to Union Minister Rajnath Singh who assured all possible help. We will get back to him after final assessment of the damage. We have announced Rs 4 lakh each to next of kin of the dead.”
Though the Met department had predicted hailstorm, there was no prediction of cyclonic storms that flattened maize and wheat crops at a speed of 150-200 km per hour, the CM said. He added that the government had been taking holistic assessment of crop damage in entire state this season and had already worked out a Rs 1,760 crore package. It, however, does not include cyclonic storm damages. Over all, 12 districts were affected.
The cyclonic storm hit Purnia, Katihar, Madhepura and Saharsa from roughly 9.15 pm to 11 pm. “It is not the rain, but the winds, which were at 150-200 km/hour for just an hour or so that caused damage. There has been largescale lodging (flattening) of standing maize crop. Apart from yield loss, there will also be quality deterioration of the grain, affecting prices ,” said Pintu Singh, a trader at Purnia’s Gulabbagh mandi.
Indian Express
