Andhra Pradesh Reels Under Hailstorms and Heavy Rainfall
Parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema regions experienced severe weather conditions on Thursday, with light to moderate rainfall and hailstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds. This adverse weather has led to significant damage to standing agriculture and horticulture crops across various districts in the state.
Weather System and Forecast
An upper air cyclonic circulation is currently positioned over coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, and neighboring areas. Due to this system, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts that rainfall activity will persist for the next three days.
The IMD has issued specific forecasts for the coming days:
- Friday (March 20): Thunderstorms with lightning are likely at isolated places over coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, and Rayalaseema. Gusty winds with speeds of 40-50 kmph, reaching up to 60 kmph, are expected in south coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema. In north coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam, winds may reach 30-40 kmph, with maximum speeds of 50 kmph.
- March 21 to 23: Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning are forecasted at isolated places over coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, and Rayalaseema. Gusty winds with speeds of 30-40 kmph, reaching up to 50 kmph, are likely during this period.
Impact on Crops and Districts Affected
Initial estimates indicate that the rainfall and gusty winds have caused damage to a variety of crops, including paddy, banana, maize, mango, pomegranate, and black gram, among other horticulture crops. The damage spans over 1,300 hectares of agricultural land.
The severe weather impacted multiple districts on Thursday, including:
- Krishna
- NTR
- Nellore
- Parvathipuram Manyam
- Guntur
- Prakasam
- Dr B R Ambedkar Konaseema
- Anakapalle
- Vizianagaram
- Srikakulam
- Alluri Sitharama Raju
- Sri Sathya Sai
- Anantapur
Rainfall Records and Warnings
According to IMD data, Amaravati in Guntur district recorded the highest rainfall of 9 cm between Wednesday morning and Thursday morning. Other notable rainfall measurements include:
- 6 cm each in Madakasira (Sri Sathyasai) and Srikalahasti (Tirupati)
- 5 cm each in Kadiri, Amarapuram (Sri Sathyasai), and Kunurpi (Anantapur)
- 4 cm in Palamaner (Chittoor)
- 3 cm each in Thottambedu, Pakala (Tirupati), Kambadur, Anantapur (Anantapur), Royachoti, and Gurramkonda (Annamayya)
The Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority has issued warnings regarding thunderstorms accompanied by lightning in several districts for the next three days. Authorities have advised residents to remain alert and take necessary precautions to ensure safety during this period of inclement weather.
