Seven villages of Chevella, Moinabad and Shankarpallyk were severely damaged by the violent hailstorm
Updated – Thu 15 Dec 22 at 06:15pm
Hyderabad: The winter months often offer the visibility and feel of fog and mist. But who would have thought it would snow in Telangana? On January 29, 2013, villagers of three mandals in Rangareddy district encountered an unusual phenomenon, they encountered a large hailstorm like snowfall.
The violent hailstorm wreaked havoc on seven villages in Chevella, Moinabad and Shankarpally. Hailstones the size of boulders damaged roofs, stripped trees of their leaves, killed hundreds of animals and destroyed swaths of crops. Thick fog shrouded the town, reducing visibility to almost zero.
According to locals, the severe hailstorm started around 8.30pm with heavy lightning, drizzle and thunder, but lasted only about 15 minutes. There is said to be a foot of ice everywhere.
While India Meteorological Department officials are in the dark about what caused the rare phenomenon, scientists say global warming is a contributing factor.
