Hailstorm damages crops in Jharkhand

Ranchi, Oct 31 (IANS) Jharkhand’s farmers, facing a drought situation, suffered another setback as a hailstorm on Thursday and Friday hit their vegetable and standing crops.

Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Daltanganj and Bokaro witnessed 53.4, 42.8, 26.6 and 7.4 mm rainfall from Thursday evening. The minimum temperature in Ranchi declined up to five degrees Celsius.

According to sources in the government, vegetables like cauliflower and tomatoes and standing crops have been damaged over thousands of acres of land.

Jharkhand government has asked officials to assess the ground situation and provide compensation to the farmers.