India~ A 65-year-old farmer was killed and standing crops in about 80 villages in Tikamgarh and Chhatarpur districts of Bundelkhand region were damaged in the hailstorm that struck the region on Monday night. The deceased farmer, identified as Dharma Lodhi, was a resident of Taparkheda village, located 40 km from Tikamgarh district headquarters. He died on the spot after a tree uprooted and fell on him during the hailstorm which lasted for almost 20 minutes, said police. The victim's family would be given an interim relief of Rs 1.5 lakhs as per government provision. "We are currently working with the officials of agriculture department to assess the damage caused by the hailstorm," said Rajesh Bamora, the Chhatarpur collector. He said more than 60 villages were affected. "We have dispatched teams for a field-to-field survey. Adequate measures are being taken to compensate the loss," he said. Earlier on Tuesday, farmers from 40 villages in Chhatarpur, reached district headquarters with a tractor full of hailstorm demanding compensation for their crops. Losses to crops and houses were reported from more than 30 villages in Tikkamgarh also. District collector Tikamgarh, M R Raghuraj said, "A total of 32 villages are affected and we have ordered a survey of the affected farmers. Relief will be given on the basis of the survey and as per the norms of the revenue book code". [link to hisz.rsoe.hu]