Summer gale damages 40 hectares of banana plantation in Tiruchy

Due to the scorching summer, the farmers said that they haven’t made any precautions for such heavy gale storm along with rainfall.

Since the gale occurred unexpectedly in the night, the farmers were unable to reach the fields to make precaution measures, they said. The gale affected crops in several places including Kulumani, Adhavathur, Kattuputhur and various other villages across the district.

Meanwhile, Deputy Director (Horticulture department) Krishna murthy said that currently we have about 4,000 hectares of Banana plantations in the district and about 40 hectares of banana crops in Thottiyam got severely affected by the heavy gale while similar damages have also been recorded at Lalgudi, Andanallur, Musiri, Manachanallur and Thottiam.

The block level agriculture officials for assessing the total damage of Banana crops in the district would be inspecting the damages across Tiruchy, he added. As per the data available in the IMD and statements issued by private weather watchdogs, the district had received about 20 - 30 knots wind per hour in the night and reportedly received an average of 15.44 mm rainfall.