Heavy rain, hailstorm disrupt life, damage crops in Kanpur

Kanpur: A fresh spell of rain accompanied by hailstorm continued to disrupt normal life in Kanpur on Sunday evening.The impact was not limited to urban areas, as rural pockets of the district also witnessed strong winds, rain and intense hailfall. In Chaubepur and nearby regions, the sudden hailstorm caused extensive damage to crops, raising serious concerns among farmers.Standing wheat and gram crops, which were ready for harvest, were reportedly destroyed due to the hailstorm. Recently sown moong and urad crops also suffered damage. Vegetable cultivation took a major hit, with crops such as tomato, capsicum, bottle gourd, ridge gourd, cucumber, muskmelon and pumpkin being adversely affected.The district had already experienced stormy conditions on Saturday evening, followed by clear skies on Sunday morning. However, the changing weather led to a drop of around 5°C in temperature, offering temporary relief from heat but adding to instability in weather patterns.The India Meteorological Department has issued another alert, warning of rain activity over the next 48 hours, which has further heightened concerns among farmers and residents.Weather expert Dr. SN Sunil Pandey said that as per forecasts, cloud movement is expected to increase along with intermittent sunshine in the Kanpur division. Day temperatures may continue to fluctuate, while night temperatures could rise slightly due to cloud cover. Wind speeds may reach up to 15 kmph during the evening hours.He further attributed the unstable conditions to a fresh western disturbance and said that on April 6, strong winds, thundercloud activity, light rain and hailstorm are likely in isolated areas.Authorities have advised people to remain cautious amid the continuing spell of unpredictable weather, while farmers fear further losses if such conditions persist.Adverse weather conditions continued to disrupt normal life in Kanpur on Sunday evening, just a day after a powerful storm had hit the city. Heavy rain accompanied by hailstorm, dense clouds and thunder left people stranded at various locations.