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IMD Keeps Multi-State Alerts in Force as Hail and Thunderstorms Batter India

Meteorologists trace the spell to a rare linear western disturbance with cyclonic circulations, prompting advisories to safeguard near-harvest crops.

Overview

  • Delhi-NCR recorded fresh showers with a yellow/orange alert for thunderstorms and 30–50 kmph gusts, a sharp temperature dip and the wettest March since 2023.
  • Gujarat’s agriculture department issued a special advisory after unseasonal rain and hail in SaurashtraKutch, urging quick harvests, covered storage and a pause on irrigation and spraying.
  • IMD warned of thunderstorms, hail and 40–50 kmph winds across Madhya Pradesh through March 21, while Himachal Pradesh faces an orange alert for heavy rain and snow with a wet spell likely lasting to March 25.
  • Andhra Pradesh and parts of Telangana saw thunderstorms, hail and gusty winds, with initial estimates of crop damage in over 1,300 hectares in AP and further storm risk highlighted by APSDMA and IMD forecasts.
  • Karnataka and Maharashtra reported severe local impacts, including 50 mm hail that damaged 178 houses around Machapur in Dharwad and crop losses in Latur, with farmers seeking panchnama and compensation as officials begin surveys.