Weather conditions shifted abruptly across multiple districts in Rajasthan on Sunday, bringing a sudden turn of events that impacted daily life and agricultural routines alike. Bikaner and Dausa witnessed intense winds accompanied by heavy downpours and localized hailstorms in several areas. While this unexpected atmospheric transition provided some relief from the prevailing heat and humidity for urban residents, it brought deep anxiety to farming communities whose hard-earned yields faced severe threats from the elements.
Hailstorms and dropping temperatures in Bikaner
In Bikaner district, the weather turned dramatically as evening approached, shrouding the skies in dark clouds and triggering a spell of gusty winds and rain that cooled the atmosphere and pushed temperatures down. Rural pockets such as Napasar, Kalyansar, and Devsar experienced sharp hailstorms, causing considerable inconvenience to residents. Although the sudden shift offered respite from the summer-like mugginess, it heightened worries among growers whose ready-to-harvest produce stood directly exposed to the pounding weather.
Gale-force winds and torrential downpours in Dausa
Dausa district experienced a similarly aggressive weather turn, marked by powerful squalls and torrential rain across several regions. Kundal and its surrounding villages were hit by severe hailstorms that compounded difficulties for local cultivators. The combined force of high-speed winds, heavy rain, and falling ice flattened mature crops in numerous fields. Farmers lamented that the culmination of months of grueling labor was ruined in a matter of hours by the unexpected weather onslaught.
Harvested pearl millet exposed and soaked
The devastation in rural areas extended beyond unharvested fields to locations where crops had already been cut and left in the open. Piles of harvested pearl millet left exposed in fields were thoroughly soaked by the relentless rain, threatening their market value. Meanwhile, crops that were still standing succumbed to the fierce winds and driving rain, bending and flattening against the earth. Cultivators noted that the combination of rain and hail inflicted widespread damage across multiple crop varieties, exposing farming households to severe financial distress.
Demands for administrative surveys on crop damage
Extensive rainfall and hailstorm damage were reported from rural pockets across Dausa and Bandikui. Affected villages including Gudhliya, Kolwa, Arniya, Kundal, Jama, Bhedoli, Bhojwada, Dhanawad, Deladi, Khorra, and Kalota witnessed significant agricultural losses. Distressed cultivators have urged the local administration to initiate prompt surveys in the affected regions to accurately assess the extent of the damage. This sudden weather disruption has once again amplified the vulnerability of local farming communities.
