3 min readMar 20, 2026 07:38 PM ISTThe high-speed winds uprooted trees and hoardings at several places. (File Photo)A day after gusty winds, unseasonal rainfall and hailstorm hit South Gujarat, horticulture department teams on Friday started a survey to assess the loss of mango crop in Surat, Navsari and Valsad.Following a sudden change in weather, high-speed muddy winds blew across various districts of South Gujarat such as Surat, Bharuch, Navsari, Valsad, and Dang on Thursday night, leaving a trail of destruction. Some parts of South Gujarat also received rainfall and hailstorms.The high-speed winds uprooted trees and hoardings at several places. In one such incident, Nitin Vaja (32), a snacks vendor at Shayona Plaza in Parvat Patia of Surat, died after a signboard fell on him.According to the weather department, wind at around 65 kmph started blowing around 7.30 pm on Thursday. By around 9.40 pm, the wind speed had been reduced to 56 kmph and the situation returned to normal later.Due to high-speed muddy winds, several flights from Surat International Airport were delayed by over 1.5 hours on Thursday night.Surat fire department officials said that from 7.30 pm to 10.30 pm, a total of 75 complaint calls were received from the public about the uprooting of trees and falling of banners and signboards.The farmers in South Gujarat are the most affected due to the high-speed wind and unseasonal rainfall and hailstorm. In several orchards, mangos fell to the ground, leading to significant losses to farmers.Story continues below this adTalking to The Indian Express, Kishor Patel (60), a resident of Kasba Kadipur village in Navsari district, said high-speed winds had damaged around 30 per cent of the mangoes in his orchard.“The mangoes are premature and they need at least one-and-a-half months to mature. These (fallen) mangoes will be of no use other than selling to pickle manufacturing companies,” he said.For Patel, it’s not a complete loss, though. “There are around 3,000 mango trees in my orchard. This year, I have covered the mangoes with brown paper bags to protect them from rain, heat, wind and worms. There were around 700 mangoes in these bags. Those covered mangoes did not fall,” Patel said.The horticulture department officials along with Gram Sevaks had started surveys in Surat, Navsari and Valsad on Friday. Deputy Director of the Horticulture Department Navsari D K Padaliya said, “High-speed winds lashed several parts of South Gujarat on Thursday night. Our teams are on the ground talking to the affected mango farmers and analysing their losses.”Story continues below this adSources in the horticulture department said that if the damage incurred by farmers exceeds 30-35 per cent, the department will prepare a report and submit it to the district collector and the District Development Officer for compensation to be given to farmers.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Gujarat