Heavy rains damage crops in 70,000 ha in AP

Meanwhile, governor ESL Narasimhan, who is in New Delhi on a two-day visit, discussed with chief secretary P K Mohanty on phone about the crop loss

Crops in nearly 70,000 hectare (57,217 ha agricultural and 12,701ha horticulture) have been damaged due to heavy rains reported from various parts of Andhra Pradesh since the last two days.

While all the 10 districts in Telangana, Anantapur and Kurnool districts in Rayalaseema, and Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, West Godavari and Guntur in coastal Andhra received rains on Wednesday, Warangal suffered heavily. The hailstorms left 14,279 ha of agriculture crops, and 800 tonne of chillies damaged in a drying yard.

According to official figures released by the state revenue department today, seven persons were killed (including four in Warangal) and 58 injured (all from the same district) in incidents related to the unseasonal rains.

Meanwhile, governor ESL Narasimhan, who is in New Delhi on a two-day visit, discussed the situation with chief secretary PK Mohanty on phone and enquired about the relief measures taken up for the farming community.

He also asked him to review the situation with the agriculture department and district collectors of the affected districts and directed them to take up immediate possible relief measures to help the farmers, according to a press communique from the Raj Bhavan.