Massive hailstorm kills thousands of sparrows in Bhind villages

Bhopal: Several villages across a 7 km stretch between Bharoli and Amayan villages in Madhya Pradesh's Bhind district woke up to the sight of thousands of dead sparrows on Monday. The deaths followed a severe hailstorm that lashed the district on Saturday late night.It is suspected that the sparrows, which once used to dot cityscapes but are seldom spotted these days, dropped dead or injured after being struck by large hailstones during the storm.The majority of the sparrows are believed to have died at the spot.Farmers arrived in their fields on Saturday morning to find thousands of sparrows lying lifeless across their land and roadside areas. The weather took a sudden shift on Saturday evening, as strong winds swept the area followed by heavy rains. Around 7 pm, a hailstorm struck the Bharoli-Amayan stretch, causing widespread damage to property as well as fields.Villagers said they briefed the district administration on the damage to their fields, but no team arrived to take stock of the situation.Similar extreme weather has also hit farmers hard elsewhere in Bhind district, as standing wheat crops ready for harvest were damaged in several areas, including Gohad, Mau, Ron, Ater, Mihona and Lahar, leaving farmers staring at heavy losses.Meanwhile, the Congress submitted a memorandum to the local administration seeking immediate compensation for affected farmers. Demanding a swift survey of the losses incurred and compensation, party leaders said crop yields have sharply declined compared to last year, pushing many farmers into financial distress.Stormy winds and rain also uprooted trees and ripped out electricity poles at several places, while also snapping power supply in rural areas.