Jagatsinghpur farmers fear cyclone ‘Montha’ may wash away months of their toil

Farmers in Jagatsinghpur district are growing increasingly worried about a possible cyclone that may hit the region. This year, the district has seen a good rice harvest, and many farmers are now at the stage of harvesting their crops, sources said on Sunday.

Also Read: Cyclone Montha likely to intensify into severe cyclonic storm; Odisha braces for heavy rainfall

However, the looming threat of strong winds and heavy rainfall due to the potential storm has created fears of significant damage, with crops likely being destroyed before they can be harvested.

Local authorities have advised vigilance and precautionary measures to minimise losses. The situation has left farmers anxious as months of hard work could be wiped out if the weather turns severe.

“If heavy wind blows, the entire paddy crop will get damaged. Some of the plants are now flowering, and some others have already started bearing the grain. Due to the wind, the plants will collapse on the ground and rot,” a local farmer said.

“We may not recover anything after the plants get rotten. All our efforts will go waste. Despite putting in so much effort, the harvest will be nil. It is likely that several farmers will suffer a heart choke and succumb,” the local farmer stated.

“I had cultivated paddy on around two acres of farmland. The entire crop will get damaged,” another farmer expressed.

“Many of us had borrowed money to grow the crop. We will face utter difficulties if the plants would get damaged,” the second farmer added.

Worth mentioning, India Meteorological Department (IMD) has placed Odisha on alert as the Deep Depression over Bay of Bengal is expected to intensify into a cyclonic storm within next 24 hours and further intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by October 28.

Reported By: Manas Kanungo