Cyclone Montha to Wreak Havoc in Next 22 Hours, Rain Warning Issued for 30 Districts in MP

MP Weather: Winter was just beginning to make its presence felt in Madhya Pradesh when unseasonal rains halted its progress. However, winter's grip is expected to strengthen soon. With cyclonic winds and rain, the impact of winter is likely to increase across the state and the country. But before that, farmers are worried about potential crop damage. Crops ready for harvest or already harvested in several districts have been affected.

Cyclonic Storm Montha to Intensify

According to experts, the weather is likely to remain similar for the entire week. This is post-monsoon season rain. A deep depression has formed over the Arabian Sea. There is a possibility of cyclonic storm Montha becoming active over the Bay of Bengal. This is causing moisture to enter the state, leading to rainfall. Clouds that gathered in Indore on Saturday night opened up on Sunday morning, with light rain continuing until the afternoon. Approximately 11 mm of rain was recorded in 24 hours.

Agricultural expert Dr. HD Verma states, "This is not Maavatha. Maavatha is the rain that occurs during winter. From one perspective, the rain will be beneficial. Fields are being prepared for wheat, gram, and lentils. Irrigation will not be needed for pre-sowing ploughing. For crops that have already been sown and have emerged, this rain will serve as irrigation. It is also beneficial for the Rabi crops. For late-maturing paddy crops that are in the fields and nearing harvest, it will be beneficial. However, if the crop has been harvested and is lying in the fields, the rain is damaging. Clouds also cause damage."

Rainfall Prospects

An alert has been issued for heavy rainfall in some parts of MP, including Mandsaur, Neemuch, Shivpuri, Datia, Gwalior, Bhind, Morena, and Sheopur Kalan. Rainfall (heavy rain) is also expected in places like Bhopal, Vidisha, Raisen, Sehore, Rajgarh, Narmadapuram, Betul, Harda, and Burhanpur.

Germination Concerns

Betul. For some farmers, the harvested crop is still lying in the fields. This has led to germination of the crops, particularly in maize.

Sagar. In the Shahpur and Deori areas of the district, some farmers' maize and paddy crops have been damaged. In areas like Banda, Shahgarh, and Khurai, many farmers are happy with the rain as they will not have to irrigate before sowing.

Jabalpur. Maize and paddy crops have been damaged in many parts of the district. In the Chargawan and Bargi areas, maize grains kept in the fields to dry after threshing have become wet. In Belkheda and Shahpura, standing paddy crops have been flattened.

Ujjain. Due to the continuous rain since Saturday, the agricultural produce market premises have been waterlogged, leading to muddy conditions. Soybeans have also been soaked.