Pictures showed roads and trees in Rajasthan's Nagaur covered in hail.
Highlights
- The unusually heavy hailstorm occurred in Nagaur, Rajasthan
- The bucket-loads of hail left the town looking like a winter wonderland
- The fall resulted in heavy crop-damage, traffic disruptions
The usually torrid district of Rajasthan's Nagaur had an unusual evening on Thursday - it received a hailstorm, that left it covered with multiple layers of ice, making it look like a hill station covered with snow.
The bucket-loads of hail over the sand left the town looking like a winter wonderland. The breath-taking pictures showed roads, roofs, and vehicles completely covered in sheets of ice. However, the unusual fall was a great ordeal for locals who are not used to facing such weather conditions.
The villages of Chhapri, Maulasar, Keechak in Nagaur saw the heaviest hailstorm, resulting in heavy crop losses. The local transportation was also affected as roads and streets were covered with hail, making it difficult for the vehicles to move on roads.
While some were surprised, most Twitter users expressed their shock and concern over the unusual weather occurrence in the region which otherwise remains very hot.
A video shared by a Twitter user showed roads, trees and the ground covered with ice.
"This is Nagaur (Rajasthan) Unbelievable hailstorm. Rangilo Hot Rajasthan turned in to White Freezing Rajasthan. This is all because of Global Warming and climate change, Video Curtesy @DevMSharma1," the user tweeted.
Another user, Vinod K Meena, also expressed his concern over the crop losses. "Adversity of nature! Heavy Hailstorm for about 21 minutes in Nagaur district of Rajasthan. This affects farmers, cattle and the crop badly. Delhi rains too! Climate change problem is for real. Hope we take preventive measures in due course."
Another user, Syed Ahmad Afzal, said that the hail storm turned everything into "milky-white". "So that's not Kashmir, but Nagaur in Rajasthan. Unprecedented hail storm struck Nagaur a day ago and turned everything milky white. #ClimateChange #ClimateChangeIsReal," he tweeted.
The Met department has said that heavy rainfall and hailstorms occurring in Rajasthan are prompted by "western disturbances" in the weather.
Rajasthan's Ganganagar district recorded the maximum rain of 15.8 mm on Thursday, with night temperature in the state going as low as eight degrees. Sikar district recorded the lowest temperature in the state at eight degrees. The state is likely to witness a thick fog over the weekend, according to the weather office.
(With inputs from AN and PTI)