28 February,2024 06:49 PM IST | Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar | mid-day online correspondent
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Two persons were killed in lightning strikes by unseasonal rains in two talukas of Maharashtra's Jalna district, an official report said on Wednesday. The deceased also included a woman.
Bhokardan and Jafrabad talukas of the North Maharashtra district were lashed by untimely showers and hailstorms on Monday.
The untimely rains also adversely affected crops on nearly 11,700 hectares of land, newswire PTI reported.
Two persons, including a woman -- residents of different villages in Bhokardan taluka -- were killed in lightning strikes during the rains, said the report issued by the Divisional Commissioner's office in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
Crops on 11,691 hectares of land were adversely affected in the rains and hailstorms, said the report, citing initial assessment.
According to the report, 20,801 farmers from 66 villages in Bhokardan and Jafrabad suffered losses due to damage caused to crops like wheat, pea and maize.
Meanwhile, India recorded extreme weather events on 318 of the 365 days in the year 2023, with all states and Union territories experiencing such events on at least one day, according to a new report released on Wednesday.
These extreme weather events resulted in 3,287 human deaths, 1.24 lakh animal deaths, and damage to 2.21 million hectares of crop area, a report by independent think tank the Centre for Science and Environment's "State of Environment 2024" said.
Himachal Pradesh recorded the highest number of days with extreme weather at 149, followed by Madhya Pradesh with 141, and Kerala and Uttar Pradesh with 119 each.
Eight states recorded more than 100 days of extreme weather, the report said. Heavy rains, floods and landslides were recorded on 208 days in 2023. Lightning and storms occurred on 202 days, heatwaves on 49 days, cold waves on 29 days and cloudbursts on nine days.
India experienced extreme weather events for 123 consecutive days between June and September 2023, the report said. (With inputs from agencies)
