Hailstorms, Gusty Winds Snap Power Lines, Hit Orchards in Rayalaseema

Anantapur: Hailstorms accompanied by gusty winds lashed Anantapur and other parts of the Rayalaseema region from Thursday night, disrupting power supply and causing damage to crops and infrastructure.

At least six transformers were damaged in Anantapur city, leading to power outages that continued till Friday morning. Services at the Anantapur Government General Hospital were affected for several hours after strong winds snapped live wires.

In Vidyut Nagar, a flex board erected by a shop fell on a main power line late on Thursday, creating a hazardous situation. Transco teams rushed to the spot and restored the damaged lines. Officials said the incident occurred at a time of minimal traffic and public movement, averting a potential mishap. Overflowing drains also caused inconvenience in several areas.

The strong winds caused extensive damage to mango and banana orchards across the region. A farmer from Garladinne said his five-acre mango crop was badly hit, with most of the fruit falling at a critical stage. “We collected more than 50 boxes of fallen mangoes,” he said, adding that production was already low due to unfavourable weather.

Banana farmers, already grappling with poor prices, suffered further losses as orchards were damaged in Anantapur and Kadapa districts. Hundreds of acres of banana plantations were affected in Lingala mandal of Kadapa district.

Horticulture officials visited the affected areas and began assessing crop losses.