Summer, though despised for its inclement weather, is cherished for one particular reason – mangoes. Every year farmers as well as consumers eagerly wait for the ‘king of fruits’ to enter the market, but this time the entry might be delayed with rains and strong winds playing spoilsport.
In the past few days, the temple city and several other places across the district witnessed intermittent spells of rough weather. Life came to a standstill as gales wreaked havoc , uprooting trees and massive hoardings in the city. The brunt of mother nature was evident at several places with collapsing of walls, traffic poles, trees and banners. An 82-year-old, retired RTC driver, A. Krishnamurthy died as minaret of a mosque collapsed on him.
In the rural areas, a fruit fall of more than 50 percent was registered at several mango orchards. According to statistics furnished by Assistant Director of Horticulture (Tirupati) at some places, trees over forty years old were also uprooted at the rate of 1-2 per acre, causing extensive damage to the farms. Areas like Puttur, Kalikiri, B.N. Kandriga, Sitaramapuram, Nagari and several places were the worst affected in this regard.
Regional Agricultural Research Station’s (Tirupati) Meteorological Department, recorded an actual rainfall of 50 mm against the normal 75 mm rainfall, on May 26 and 27. Though wind velocities remained marginal, the scientists maintained that the flow would vary from place to place. Horticulture officials are yet to estimate the overall crop loss in the district.
