CHIKMAGALUR: A hailstorm lashed Aldur and surrounding areas in the taluk on Wednesday afternoon. Huge hailstones bombarded the area and children ran out on the streets to collect them.
The showers may bring relief to coffee growers who were worried about the disappearance of rain after the first showers that had led to the blooming, followed by the drooping, of the coffee white blossoms.
Coffee grower Bhoje Gowda expressed happiness over the intermittent rains which would help the drooping flowers.
On Tuesday afternoon, thundershowers accompanied by lightning pounded Kalasa, Balehole, Magundi and Balehonnur. Staff at the Sri Rambhapuri Mutt panicked due to the hailstorm as repair works were underway at the Mutt.
Mutt supervisor Prabhu Swamy Kalmath told Express that they were relieved when the showers were without gales.
In Chikmagalur city and surroundings areas, the dry spell in the morning and night continued with an exception in the afternoon when it was cloudy. District Health Officer Eshwarappa said that there were no fears of an epidemic outbreak as of now, but if the dry spell continued, there was a likelihood of throat and lung-related diseases.