A 35-year-old man died after a wall of a banquet hall collapsed during gusty winds and heavy rain in Bijnor on Thursday evening. Mohammad Fariyad, a resident of Rahatpur Khurd, was near the structure when its wall and tin roof gave way due to the severe weather.
Storm Causes Widespread Damage
Strong winds uprooted structures and damaged buildings in several localities across the district. The storm also hit farmers hard, with mango orchards suffering significant losses. Many trees lost fruit due to the combination of strong winds and rainfall, raising concerns over the financial impact on growers.
Mango Orchards Affected
Mango trees in Amroha and neighbouring Bijnor were affected by strong winds followed by drizzle. Orchard owners reported that fruits fell from trees prematurely. Farmers noted that unfavourable climatic conditions had already affected fruit growth this year, compounding the damage from the storm.
Orchard owner Khilendra Singh Kakran said, “Continuous weather fluctuations have impacted the crop, raising concerns over a decline in production. Lower yield could push up mango fruit prices.” Another grower, Mohammad Yunus, added that adequate fruit quantity is important to maintain quality, and fewer fruits on trees could affect quality as well.
Extent of Mango Cultivation
In Bijnor district, mango groves are spread over 13,310 hectares across Mandawar, Kiratpur, Bijnor and Najibabad. The district grows varieties such as Daseri, Chausa, Langda, Ratole and Bombay Green. Mangoes from Bijnor are supplied to major cities including Delhi, Uttarakhand, Mumbai, Kolkata and Jaipur. The district's production exceeds 1.5 lakh metric tonnes annually.
In Amroha, mango cultivation covers 18,000 to 20,000 hectares, with an annual production of around 3.5 to 4 lakh metric tonnes. Common varieties include Daseri, Langra and Chausa.
Expert Assessment
Agriculture scientist Dr. K.K. Singh of the Nagina research centre stated that inclement weather can lead to crop loss, but added that it is too early to assess the overall damage. He emphasized that continuous monitoring is needed to evaluate the full impact on the mango crop.
