Hailstorm: This also happens in AP, not only in HP!

Several villages in three mandals of Rangareddy in Andhra Pradesh were completely transformed on Wednesday as ice covered the entire area after a violent bout of hailstorm. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for people living in seven villages in Chevella, Moinabad and Shankarpally as hailstones, some as large as boulders, started falling from the sky on Tuesday night.

People in seven drought-prone villages near Hyderabad on Wednesday woke up to a thick layer of snow blanketing the streets. Rangareddy district reven­ue officials have confirmed the incident. Meteorological officials said it was heavy hail storm.

Residents of Kummera and six other villages in Chevella mandal on Wednesday found the streets covered with nearly one-foot thick sheet of ice.  Chevella tahsildar Ravinder Reddy said: “A heavy hailstorm hit Mudimyal, Rabulapally, Malkapur, Kummera, Gollapally, Yankapally and Kammeta villages in the mandal, damaging crops and killing hundreds of livestock.”

The revenue officials estimated the agricultural loss at Rs 4.5 lakh. Horticulture across 1,200 acres and standing crops on 350 acres were damaged. At least 13 houses were partially damaged in the hailstorm.

Kummera and three areas in Kammeta were the worst hit.

Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Sabita Indra Reddy, who represents the Chevella constituency, said: “I never heard of even timely rain in my region. People from my constituency have been informing me about the incident since 6 am on Wednesday.” The home minister has directed the  Rangareddy district administration to send a special team, comprising officials from the revenue and agriculture departments, to assess the property loss and submit a report, so that the government can compensate the villagers.

Ruling out snowfall in Chevella, Met office director Sudhakar Rao said: “We need to cross-check facts and speak to someone who has seen it with his own eyes.”