Northern Indian state declares calamity over huge damages to crops by untimely rains

The northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, the most populous in the country, Tuesday declared a state of calamity because of huge damages to crops inflicted by untimely rains which hit the state over the past few months.

Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking 10 billion rupees (160 million U.S. dollars) to immediately provide relief to farmers, said an official spokesman of the state government in Lucknow, the state capital.

The state government is also offering financial assistance to farmers who died unnaturally, mostly suicides, the spokesman said.

An official statement said 44 districts of the state have lost more than 50 percent of the crops, while 11 lost over 33 percent.

Northern India has been subject to untimely rains and cool weather since the beginning of the year.

The abnormal weather phenomena have brought about huge losses to the local farmers. Endi