Sandstorms damage crops in Tamil Nadu

Sandstorms have caused widespread damage to sunflower and tomato crops in Thevaram and surrounding areas of the district in the past 15 days.

Sandstorms have caused widespread damage to sunflower and tomato crops in Thevaram and surrounding areas of the district in the past 15 days, officials said on Tuesday.

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Six villages -- Silaimalai, Silaimarathupati, Thambinayakanpatti, Erasinghapuram, Ramasamynayakenpatti and Thevaram -- were the worst-hit, officials said after visiting some of the affected areas.

Crops in hundreds of acres of land was reported to be totally damaged, they said.

Though no person has been injured so far, more than 40 houses had been damaged with their asbestos, tiled or thatched roofs being blown off.

The officials also said that storm had silted hundreds of acres of cultivable lands with sand, and it would take a long time to desilt the sand.

The sandstorms were likely to continue till the first week of August, they added.