Rain, hailstorm damage crops in parts of AP

Visakhapatnam: Light to moderate rainfall and hailstorm accompanied by lightning, gusty winds lashed parts of the coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema regions on Thursday, leading to damage of standing agriculture and horticulture crops in parts of the state. Due to an upper air cyclonic circulation lies over coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam and neighbourhood, the rainfall activity will continue for next three days.As per the reports, thunderstorms accompanied by lightning, gusty winds reaching up to 40 kmph and light to moderate rainfall lashed in part of the Krishna, NTR, Nellore, Parvathipuram Manyam, Guntur, Prakasam, Dr B R Ambedar Konaseema, Anakapalle, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam Alluri Sitharama Raju, Sri Sathya Sai and Anantapur districts in the state on Thursday.As per the initial estimates, the rainfall accompanied by gusty winds damaged paddy, banana, maize, mango, pomegranate,black gram, and few other horticulture crops in over 1,300 hectares on Thursday.The IMD forecast that thunderstorms accompanied by lightning are likely at isolated places over coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam and Rayalaseema on Friday (March 20). Gusty winds with speed 40-50kmph reaching maximum 60kmph likely at isolated places over south coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema. Gusty winds with speed 30- 40kmph reaching a maximum of 50kmph likely at isolated places over north coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam on Friday.Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning are likely at isolated places over coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam and Rayalaseema from March 21 to 23. Gusty winds with speed 30-40kmph reaching maximum 50kmph likely at isolated places over coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam and Rayalaseema during the period, the weather agency predicted.Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority warned of thunderstorms accompanied by lightning in several districts for the next three days and advised people to remain alert.As per the IMD, Amaravati in Guntur district recorded the highest rainfall of 9 cm in the state between Wednesday (March 18) morning and Thursday (March 19) morning, followed by 6 cm of rainfall each in Madakasira (Sri Sathyasai), Srikalahasti (Tirupati), 5 cm of rainfall each in Kadiri and Amarapuram (Sri Sathyasai), Kunurpi (Anantapur), 4 cm of rainfall in Palamaner ( Chittoor), and 3 cm of rainfall each in Thottambedu and Pakala (Tirupati), Kambadur and Anantapur ( Anantapur) and Royachoti and Gurramkonda (Annamayya).