Bikaner: Extreme weather was experienced in parts of Rajasthan in the last 24 hours with hailstorms, gusty winds and a light rainfall reported following the impact of a western disturbance, the meteorological department said on Friday. The shift in weather conditions was a blessing that relieved an increase in temperatures but also made farmers worried.
One of the regions hit was Bikaner where hailstorms were severe with thick deposits of ice forming over the fields and giving it a beautiful snow-like effect. Padampur district, in the Sri Ganganagar district, had the highest rainfall of 11.5 mm.
A forest department official posted pictures of the Arjunsar village in Bikaner which were covered with white hailstones. The video immediately focused on social media, and most of the users related the scene to snowfall in colder areas. The official also said that there was the possibility of crop destruction and called on authorities to make sure that they have enough crop insurance cover to the affected farmers.
The meteorological department reported that on April 4, Bikaner experienced a peak temperature of 30 o C with the probability of rain still high. According to weather forecasts, the same weather conditions such as light rain and hail storms could continue in the coming days especially on April 7 and 8.
The area has been placed under a yellow alert to inform the inhabitants about potential unfavorable weather. The government has instructed the citizens, particularly those who are farmers, to be alert and to take required measures to reduce the losses that may be caused by future weather anomalies.