Hailstorm lashes Purnia, Kosi divisions

PURNIA/SAHARSA: A hailstorm accompanied by heavy rain struck Purnia and Kosi divisions twice on Friday night. The hailstorm swept through the Purnia division first around 8.30pm and again around midnight on Friday.
The impact of the hailstorm and rain was quite severe in Katihar district, official sources said. "It was for the first time that a hailstorm of such a magnitude hit the area," recalled Riazul Haque, a resident of Purnia.Heavy rain also lashed parts of Kosi division, the sources said.
Jute growers are quite optimistic about the heavy rainfall as the sowing season is at its peak. Such a heavy rain had never been witnessed at this time of the year in the past few years, said a jute grower, Gaisuddin, of Simalbari. Rain will immensely boost jute farming, added Krishna Mohan Singh of Gopalpur in Kishanganj district.
Kishanganj district agriculture officer (DAO) Sant Lal Saha said, "The rain will help growers of pulse like moong and jute in the district." Saharsa DAO U P Mandal, however, struck a discordant note, saying rain will adversely impact the wheat crop which was already ripe for harvesting. The weatherman in Purnia said the district recorded 36 mm of rainfall. Rain swept through the district twice on Friday night. However, no casualty was reported.