A series of intense pre-monsoon hailstorms swept across parts of Karnataka this week, causing widespread destruction in agricultural fields and rural livelihoods.
Residents in Dharwad district's Machapur village witnessed a rare spectacle when a hailstorm lasting over two hours blanketed roads, rooftops, and farmland.
However, the visual spectacle masked significant damage beneath, with farmers and nursery growers reporting widespread crop losses, particularly in tomato fields ready for harvest.
Horticulture crops and saplings were also badly affected, while houses with tiled roofs suffered damage from the impact of the hail.
Meteorologists attributed the event to seasonal atmospheric conditions, with strong local convection playing a central role.
Agriculture and horticulture officials have begun surveying affected areas to assess losses, with preliminary estimates suggesting large areas under mango cultivation have been affected, along with smaller extents of other crops.
Elsewhere, in Belagavi district, the storms proved devastating for livestock owners, with a shepherd losing all 39 sheep after they were caught in heavy rain, hail, and gusty winds.
