UP faces unseasonal rain, rabi crops at stake

Lucknow, Apr 6 (UNI) The unseasonal downpour at various places across Uttar Pradesh during the last 24 hours has not only harmed the rabi crops, but also threatened to soar inflation.

According to weatherman, slight to heavy rainfall was witnessed in Lucknow, Aligarh, Agra, Jhansi, Moradabad, Bareilly, Kanpur, Faizabad, Allahabad, Etawah and Varanasi. Some places even received hailstorm.

The unexpected rainfall has added to the woes of the poor farmers, as the shower has runied crops like wheat, gram and pulses worth several crores of rupees.

The actual loss to rabi crops was being ascertained, agircultural department sources said.

The showers accompanied by squall has also caused a large scale damage to the 'king of fruits' mangoes.

The unseasonal rain, which also brought a coolness in the air and plummeted temperature to several degrees, was induced by a fresh Western disturbance over Rajasthan.

The death of a farmer in Barabanki in the last 24 hr due to lightning has taken the toll to 8 so far.

Besides, 11 others were injured in the lightning incident in Barabanki and had been admitted to hospital.

UNI JAS SY BST1600