Hail destroys crops and cuts roads in Uganda
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Nile Post
Heavy hail destroyed maize, bean and soybean fields in Tororo, Uganda, while rain flooded several roads. Farmers fear reduced harvests and income after the storm on 25 October, Nile Post reports.
Hail accompanied by heavy rain destroyed maize, bean and soybean crops in several gardens in Tororo Municipality, eastern Uganda, on Sunday 25 October. Farmers now fear reduced harvests and food shortages, Nile Post reports.
The storm lasted about an hour and a half, from 2pm to 3.30pm. In Amagoro A Central, hailstones were still visible at around 6pm, while sections of tarmac roads remained flooded. The eastern and western divisions of the municipality were affected, disrupting travel and the transport of goods.
Grace Atheino, a farmer whose crops were damaged, had hoped to start harvesting in a month to feed her family and increase her income. Affected farmers are asking the government for help to recover and avert a food shortage. Residents also accuse municipal authorities of allowing drainage systems to deteriorate, which they say contributes to flooding during heavy rain, according to Nile Post.
