Rains in parts of Nashik & Kolhapur; IMD issues orange alert

Nashik/Kolhapur: Unseasonal heavy rainfall lashed several parts of Nashik and Kolhapur districts on Wednesday afternoon, with some areas also experiencing hail. India Meteorological Department issued an orange alert for Nashik, Jalgaon and Ahilyanagar districts on Thursday, with thunderstorm accompanied by lightning, gusty winds (50-60kmph), and hail at isolated places.Talukas, such as Satana, Kalwan, Deola, Sinnar, Niphad and Malegaon, recorded heavy rainfall after 3pm, while many other regions received rain later in the evening. Villages in Sinnar taluka reported hail along with intense rainfall. Farmers said crops including onions, wheat, and grapes were likely to suffer some damage due to the unexpected weather.A yellow alert has also been issued for Dhule and Nandurbar districts, predicting thunderstorms with lightning, light to moderate rainfall, and winds of 40-50kmph in isolated areas.In Kolhapur district, tehsils like Ajara, Gadhinglaj, Kagal and Karvir experienced over an hour of rainfall. IMD had predicted an orange alert for Kolhapur between 4pm and 7pm, and accordingly, many areas reported heavy rain accompanied by strong winds.In Kolhapur city, eastern localities like Market Yard, Jadhavwadi, Kasba Bawda, and Mukt-Sainik Vasahat reported hail. A street vendor selling bamboo sticks for Gudi Padwa in Kasba Bawda, Rakesh Mangave, said business was severely affected as the skies turned dark from 4pm, resulting in very few customers.