A severe hailstorm accompanied by gale-force winds battered the Jalgaon district on Saturday, April 12, and Sunday, April 13, causing extensive damage to banana and maize crops across Raver, Muktainagar, Bodwad and Jalgaon talukas. Guardian Minister Gulabrao Patil has directed immediate assessment of losses and financial relief for affected farmers.
The unseasonal weather uprooted banana orchards in 19 villages including Raver town during peak harvest season, while maize crops suffered widespread destruction. The storm disrupted traffic on Burhanpur-Ankleshwar National Highway due to fallen trees and damaged power lines, causing temporary outages. Temperatures dropped from 45°C to 38°C following the hailstorm.
Patil instructed District Collector Ayush Prasad and Agriculture Superintendent Qurban Tadvi to expedite panchnama (damage assessment) reports for government assistance.
"Prepare immediate loss estimates so financial aid can reach farmers promptly," Patil ordered while advising farmers to follow Indian Meteorological Department advisories to protect remaining crops and livestock. The administration has begun preliminary surveys in affected areas.
