Residents devastated as unexpected severe weather causes deaths and destroys crops: 'It's still having some impact'

Himachal Pradesh, a state in northern India, has experienced a surge in summer hailstorms and strong winds, resulting in damage to crops — as well as some deaths.

What's happening?

According to The Tribune, the increase in hailstorms and gusty winds has caused significant damage, including deaths from trees falling onto vehicles.

A weather department official cited continuous thunderstorms and rain as the cause of the powerful winds. 

"The Western Disturbance move toward the North Pole at this time, but it's still having some impact in some areas of Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal," the official said. "With moisture at lower level and variation in temperature, conditions become conducive for thunderstorm activity."

These storms and winds are responsible for damaging a number of fruit crops, causing drooping and physical ruin as well as hampering pollination. 

The Tribune reported that a deputy director of horticulture said an approximately "2,700-hectare area has been affected."

Why is crop damage concerning?

These hailstorms and strong winds in India are yet another example of extreme weather driven by the overheating of our planet. As global temperatures continue to rise, these events are expected to become more frequent, leading to decreased crop yields. 

Damaged crops mean less food found in grocery stores and worsening food security, leading to higher prices for remaining food items. 

Fewer crop yields will cause growers to lose money, too, as weather wipes out their inventory.  Growers may also need to invest more money to protect the crops they can grow, which will further increase food prices.

Continuously damaged crops may result in some farms shutting down completely, as it becomes too costly and difficult to grow food. As farms shut down, fewer jobs and produce will be available.

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On top of the damage to crops, rising temperatures and extreme weather wreak havoc on soil and ecosystems, making growing food even more challenging for those farms that remain. 

What's being done to protect crops?

In India, it's expected that the monsoon season will lessen the winds and hail. However, farmers and growers around the world are seeking solutions to protect crops from such events. 

Researchers have been diligently exploring ways to make crops of all kinds more resilient against bad weather and extreme temperatures, including learning how to create plants that require less water and creating technology that predicts severe weather before it hits. 

However, to truly protect crops, governments and corporations will need to step up and take measures to ensure a significant decrease in the carbon pollution that drives extreme weather and overheats the planet.

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