Hit by dust storm, Kutch also gets spell of rain

Kutch, which has been experiencing a change of weather since Tuesday, was hit by dust storms on Wednesday. This  resulted in thunder and unseasonal rainfall in the evening in central and north-west areas of the district.

Sources in some of the affected villages told DNA that Mangwana and Gadasisa villages recorded one and half inches of rainfall while some villages in Nakhatrana taluka had half an inch of rain.

Traditionally known to be an area for cash crops like Isabgol and castor oil, the untimely rains damaged ripe crops in the fields. Sources said that this sudden change in weather has badly affected mangoes too, which are still in the process of ripening.

Though no human casualties have been reported from any corner of the region so far, two buffaloes were reportedly killed by lightning at Palivad village in Nakhatrna taluka.

The district headquarters of Bhuj and Anjar also witnessed little rainfall. Official sources in the local meteorological office told DNA that as these were merely showers it could not be measured on the normal rain gauge.

Met sources also said that the unseasonal rains are a result of the upper air cyclonic circulation over Rajasthan. As Kutch has a long seacoast, the moisture collected produced the smart showers.

Weather office officials also said that the change in weather here is likely to continue for sometime and indicated the possibility of severe dust storms as summer reaches its peak in the next two months.