Unseasonal rains in Marathwada: 230 villages face crop damage, 2 persons dead

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Feb 25 (PTI) Unseasonal rains have damaged crops in 230 villages in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra, while lightning strikes claimed two lives, officials said on Wednesday.

More than 27,000 farmers faced losses as crops were affected on around 19,000 hectares of land during the unseasonal showers and hailstorms on Monday in Marathwada's Beed, Latur and Nanded districts, as per the primary loss report compiled by the divisional commissioner's office.

At least 136 villages in Latur, 53 in Beed and 41 in Nanded bore the brunt of the unseasonal rainfall, it said.

Digamber Belkunde (60), from Udgir in Latur, and Vishakha Yelkewad, from Himayatnagar in Nanded, died due to lightning strikes. Four animals also perished in the Nanded and Beed districts, the report said.

As many as 27,096 farmers with crops on around 18,993 hectares of land faced losses.

The highest loss was recorded in Latur, where crops on more than 15,516 hectares were affected due to the rains, the report said.

Fourteen 'kutcha' houses also faced partial damage, it added. PTI AW GK