Kodangal: Sudden torrential rains accompanied with gusting winds in Kodangal and surrounding areas witnessed severe weather conditions on Monday, leading to disruptions in traffic and damage to crops. Heavy winds, gusting at speeds of 50-60 km per hour, caused the collapse of a National Highway signboard on NH-163 near the outskirts of Kodangal town.

The sudden incident brought traffic to a standstill, with commuters experiencing panic due to the high-speed winds. Vehicles remained stuck for nearly an hour before the police arrived at the scene and managed to restore the traffic flow.

Meanwhile, many villages in the region were hit by a hailstorm, causing significant damage to crops. In Nandipadu village of Maddur mandal, heavy rains accompanied by hail lashed the area, severely affecting standing crops. Farmers in Kothapalli mandal also faced losses as a moderate hailstorm struck their fields.

The unseasonal weather has left paddy farmers deeply worried about their yield, fearing a huge financial setback. The unexpected weather changes have created distress among both urban commuters and rural farmers. While city dwellers face inconvenience due to stalled traffic and strong winds, farmers in the villages are struggling to assess the damage to their crops. The police and authorities from revenue and other departments are put on high alert monitoring the situation, and farmers are hoping for government support to recover from their losses.