Widespread damage to crops has been reported in the heavy summer rain and wind that have been lashing the district for the past several days.
The crop loss has been estimated at ₹3.92 crore, according to preliminary reports of the Agriculture Department.
The rain severely affected the crops, especially plantains, vegetables, rubber, areca nut palms, and coconut palms, in Kaniyampetta, Panamaram, Cheeral, Thariyode, Noolpuzha, Kottathara, Padinharethara, Thavinhal, Vellamunda, Muttil, and Poothadi grama panchayats, Agriculture Department sources said.
The rain adversely affected 838 farmers in the district, sources said.
Loss to plantain sector
As per the reports, the rain and heavy winds mainly affected plantain farmers in various parts of the district. As many as 2,12,630 bunched and non-bunched banana plantains cultivated on 85.06 hectares of land have been uprooted following winds.
The reports show that an estimated loss of ₹3.29 crore occurred in the plantain sector alone and it adversely affected 645 farmers.
Apart from this, 895 areca nut palms, 36 coconut palms, and 258 rubber trees have been uprooted. Rice cultivated on 5 ha and 430 pepper vines have been destroyed in the rain.
Vegetables, including bitter gourd, amaranthus, cowpea, pumpkin, cassava, and cucumber, on 4.5 ha in various parts of the district, especially in Mananthavady taluk, have been destroyed in the rain. Power supply has been disrupted in some parts after branches of trees fell on electric lines.
A relief
The summer rain, however, has been a relief to wildlife, especially in areas on the Kerala-Karnataka border, including the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, where forest fire has been posing a threat, Forest Department sources said.
