Powerful winds and torrential rains brought by Cyclone Ditwah have wreaked havoc on banana plantations across Tamil Nadu's Mayiladuthurai district. The overnight storm on Saturday flattened countless trees that were ready for harvest, inflicting losses estimated at several lakhs of rupees and prompting desperate calls for immediate government assistance.
Widespread Devastation Across the District
Banana cultivation, spread over hundreds of acres in every block of Mayiladuthurai district, bore the brunt of the cyclone's fury. The severe weather uprooted thousands of trees and flooded vast areas of farmland. The resulting waterlogging has left crops irrecoverably damaged. The district recorded an average rainfall of 11.7 centimetres during the cyclone event, which proved catastrophic for the water-retentive heavy clay soil common to these plantations.
Farmer R Prabhakaran, a 41-year-old from Aarupathi village, shared his plight. He had cultivated banana across three acres and was preparing for the Karthigai season harvest. "Hundreds of my trees are lying flat. I have lost more than one lakh rupees," he stated, encapsulating the despair felt by the farming community. The destruction was not limited by the age of the plants; trees ranging from a few months old to nearly a year were all destroyed.
Recurring Disasters and a Plea for Aid
Local farmers highlighted a grim pattern, noting that while banana farming can offer good returns, recurring natural disasters every few years consistently wipe out their investments and plunge them into debt. The impact of Cyclone Ditwah extended beyond bananas, with cashew, betel nut, and vegetable crops also suffering severe inundation.
In response to the crisis, cultivators have urgently appealed to both the state and central governments. They are seeking relief funds to be sanctioned under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF). A formal assessment of the damage is currently in progress.
Official Assessment Underway
A horticulture department official confirmed that the evaluation process has begun. "We will carry out the enumeration once the water recedes and submit a detailed report for relief sanction," the official said. This systematic survey is crucial for determining the exact scale of the loss and facilitating the release of financial support to the affected farmers.
The situation in Mayiladuthurai serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of agriculture to extreme weather events. As farmers survey their flattened fields, the need for prompt and substantial government intervention becomes increasingly critical to help them recover and rebuild their livelihoods.
