Jaipur, April 4 (NationPress) The influence of a powerful Western Disturbance continues to affect Rajasthan, prompting the Meteorological Centre to issue a heavy rain alert for more than 20 districts today.

On Friday, over ten districts experienced severe weather, including rainfall, hailstorms, and dust storms. Hail was reported in areas such as Bikaner, Sri Ganganagar, and Jaisalmer, while heavy rainfall impacted numerous other regions.

In Jaipur, a significant dust storm on Friday resulted in a tragic incident, claiming the life of an individual.

As stated by Radheshyam Sharma, Director of the Meteorological Centre in Jaipur, strong winds, significant rainfall, and isolated hailstorms are expected on Saturday in various parts of Udaipur, Ajmer, Kota, Jaipur, and Bharatpur divisions, as well as the Shekhawati region. Although there may be a slight reduction in weather activity on April 5-6, another Western Disturbance is anticipated to become active starting April 7, which could lead to further storms and rainfall across the state. The storm activity began in Jaipur around 5 p.m. on Friday and persisted late into the night, accompanied by strong winds that caused widespread disruption.

In Jawahar Nagar, a tragic incident occurred when a 50-year-old motorcyclist, Ramjilal Mahawar, lost his life due to the collapse of an electric pole.

The storm also inflicted damage in various parts of the city, leading to waterlogging in crucial areas and causing inconvenience for residents. This sudden shift in weather has resulted in a temperature drop of up to 7 degrees Celsius during the day across several districts, with many cities experiencing an unexpected mild chill. The highest recorded daytime temperature on Friday was 35.6 degrees Celsius in Chittorgarh and Alwar, while some areas saw significant drops in temperature. The combination of rain, strong winds, and hailstorms has severely affected Rabi crops, particularly mustard, wheat, and gram, in numerous districts.

Agricultural products stored outdoors in mandis have also been impacted by the rainfall.

Meteorologists indicate that Western Disturbances typically weaken post-March; however, this year has seen ongoing activity since March 13, with six weather systems becoming active in a short period—an unusual occurrence that has disrupted normal weather patterns and affected agricultural practices.

In the last 24 hours, rainfall was noted in Bikaner, Sri Ganganagar, Hanumangarh, Churu, Jaisalmer, Jhunjhunu, Sikar, Nagaur, Barmer, Jodhpur, Jalore, Jaipur, Ajmer, Alwar, Tonk, and surrounding areas. With ongoing alerts and another weather system approaching, authorities are urging residents and farmers to stay vigilant and take necessary precautions.