Heavy rainfall between June 21 and 23 damaged crops on an area of 20,274 hectares in Nagpur, Wardha, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli districts in Maharashtra, with cotton, tur, soybean, maize and vegetables being the worst hit, agriculture officials said.

As per initial estimates by the agriculture department, 1,964 hectares of land in 96 villages were washed away in flooding caused by the rains, they added. In Nagpur, rains damaged crops on 9,176.55 hectares spread over 126 villages in Kamptee, Saoner, Kalmeshwar, Ramtek and Hingna tehsils, while the destruction of produce was spread over 10,579.65 hectares in 155 villages in Warora, Chimur, Rajura, Jivati and Gondpipari tehsils in Chandrapur, an official said.