Unseasonal rains have brought paddy harvesting to a standstill in the Siktah block of West Champaran district, raising serious concerns among farmers. For the past two days, intermittent rainfall has led to waterlogging in fields, making it impossible for farmers to cut their ripe paddy crops.

The Meteorological Department has issued a warning of heavy rains accompanied by strong winds, exacerbating the farmers' predicament. The drizzle began on Thursday afternoon and continued throughout Friday. A major worry for farmers is the lentil crop. Thousands of acres in the block have been sown with lentil and other pulse seeds scattered among the paddy. Submergence in rainwater poses a risk of these seeds rotting, which could impact germination and lead to significant financial losses for farmers. There are also fears that the ongoing rain will adversely affect wheat sowing.

Farmers including Harishankar Singh from Jagirahan, Rajesh Kumar Gupta, Raju Yadav from Siktah, Binod Shankar Rao, Madhusudan Patel, Suresh Kumar Gupta, Vinod Mahto, and Vipin Kumar from Shikarpur, along with Mishri Baitha, have expressed fears of substantial losses. They state that continued rainfall could result in considerable economic hardship.