Cyclone Hudhud, after battering coastal Andhra Pradesh and Odisha on October 13, weakened into a depression on Tuesday and was stationed in northeast Madhya Pradesh, north Chhattisgarh and adjoining Uttar Pradesh, giving some heavy rain in the region. Currently, the cyclone has turned into a low pressure area – almost becoming insignificant - and is moving eastward.
But before it lost steam, Bihar and east Uttar Pradesh bore the brunt of cyclone Hudhud in form of strong winds and heavy rain. Gorakhpur in east Uttar Pradesh recorded 115 mm of rain in last 24 hours from 8.30 am on Tuesday. This is the highest rainfall recorded in the city during the month of October in a decade. The previous high was 97.1 mm, recorded on October 15, 2013.
Some other places in Uttar Pradesh too have received heavy rain. Bahraich recorded 46.6 mm of rain, Shahjahanpur 29.6 mm, Hardoi 28 mm, Sultanpur 25 mm, Kanpur 21.6 mm and Lucknow 19.8 mm of rain.
The situation in Bihar was similar to that in east Uttar Pradesh. According to the data available with Skymet Meteorology division in India, Motihari recorded a whopping 191 mm of rain in last 24 hours from 8.30 am on Tuesday. Muzaffarpur received 25 mm Supaul 21 mm and Purnea 19 mm of rain. Siwan also recorded 42 mm of rain on Monday.
These heavy rains and strong winds in the region have caused damage to standing crops ready for harvesting. According to Ramesh Shukla, an agriculturist in Bihar, tracts of paddy fields in West Champaran and East Champaran districts have been flattened. Fields have become waterlogged and may take time before it drains completely, delaying harvesting in the region. Many tree plantations have also been uprooted. Rakesh Chaubey, another farmer from Bihar says he was pinning his hopes on good harvest but the sudden heavy rain and winds in the area has ruined it. Farming is the mainstay for these people who don't have any other thing to fall upon whenever a weather activity like this happens.
However, the good news is that rain is going to reduce and become minimal tomorrow.
Picture courtesy: Indianexpress
