Unseasonal rain and hailstorms lashed Latur district in Maharashtra, prompting the administration to order a detailed damage assessment survey, officials said on Monday, reported the PTI.
Parts of Renapur tehsil witnessed strong winds and hail during the day, damaging tin-roofed houses in several villages. Standing crops were also affected in multiple areas, according to the PTI.
Officials said crops such as wheat, gram and sorghum have suffered partial damage due to the sudden change in weather.
Renapur, Ahmedpur and other tehsils reported losses to agricultural produce as well as structural damage to some homes.
Farmer killed
In a separate incident, a 60-year-old farmer, Digambar Ram Belkunde, died after being struck by lightning while working in his field at Vaigaon in Udgir tehsil, as per the PTI.
Local authorities stated that the death and said further formalities are underway.
Survey and relief ordered
Guardian Minister Shivendrasinhraje Bhosale reviewed the situation with District Collector Varsha Thakur-Ghuge and Resident Deputy Collector Keshav Netke.
Following the review, the minister directed officials to carry out spot inspections, prepare panchnamas (official loss assessment reports) and provide immediate assistance to families whose homes were damaged.
Collector Thakur-Ghuge said information from other affected tehsils is still being compiled and field teams have already begun preparing reports, the news agency reported.
Mumbai witnesses hot weather and clear skies
Meanwhile, Mumbai woke up to mostly clear skies and relatively pleasant weather on Monday, February 23, but a lingering layer of smog continued to affect overall air quality across the city.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast similar conditions for the day, with clear skies likely to prevail and temperatures expected to range between 20 degrees Celsius and 33 degrees Celsius. The gradual rise in daytime temperatures in recent weeks is the transition towards the summer season.
As per IMD’s 8:30 am observations, Colaba recorded a minimum temperature of 22.6 degrees Celsius, while Santacruz registered 20.3 degrees Celsius. No rainfall was reported at either location.
Despite stable weather conditions, pollution levels continue to remain a concern for residents. Mumbai’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 104 on Monday morning, placing it in the ‘moderate’ category.