Bengaluru, Apr 24: Heavy rains that lashed across Karnataka on Thursday caused widespread damages and claimed the lives of eight persons.
One person was killed and another injured as heavy downpour accompanied by hailstorm threw life out of gear in most parts of Bengaluru city on Thursday evening. A compound wall collapsed at Goruguntepalya, off Tumkur Road, killing a 48-year-old man and injuring a youth.
The city received the first hailstorm and thunder showers of the season and the minimum size of the hailstones was one centimetre in diameter, according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). The City recorded 52.2 mm rainfall till 8:30 pm.
Several trees and electric poles were uprooted, leading to disruption in power supply and traffic jams and chaos on roads. The worst affected were those returning home from work as several roads were flooded. A car was stuck in the flooded K R?Circle underpass. A compound wall of a house came crashing at Magadi Road.
Additional policemen were deployed to regulate traffic in many areas, including Central Business District where the vehicular movement was slow. It was a bumper-to-bumper ride on Bellary Road, Hosur Road, Bannerghatta Road, Majestic, Yeshwantpur among other areas. The BBMP control rooms were flooded with complaints of water logging and falling of trees in various areas. The Bescom received as many as 1,749 complaints between 6 pm and 8 pm.
Heavy rainfall was reported in Dharwad, Gadag, Shivamogga, Chamarajanagar, Haveri, Hassan, Chitradurga and Vijayapura districts too.
Two persons were struck by lightning in Halebeedu taluk in Hassan district on Thursday. Sandhya, 24, daughter of Paramesh, a resident of Doddakodihalli village, and 12-year-old Srushti, daughter of Halappa from Bhairabundi village, are the victims.
Sandhya, and her cousin Srushti, who had come to Doddakodihalli from her native Bhairabundi to spend her summer vacation, had been to the fields to give lunch to Paramesh. On their way back home, the two took shelter under a tamarind tree as it began raining and were struck by lightning. A case has been registered at the Halebeedu police station and the bodies have been sent to the Government Hospital for post-mortem.
Though Halebeedu taluk did not receive any heavy rainfall, gusty winds, accompanied with thunderstorm lashed the taluk for some time.
In Haveri
Lightning killed two persons and seriously injured another at Hangal taluk in Haveri district. Rachappa Shivappa Ganjer (67) and Chandru Koravar (20) from Hirebasur village, are the deceased. Both labourers, were returning home, when lightning struck them. Abdul Khadar Hittalmani (27), who was also with them, is seriously injured. He is being treated at KIMS in Hubli.
In Vijayapura
Two persons were struck by lightning in Vijayapura district. Prabhugouda Giridhargouda Patil (60) and his grandson Arun Shantagouda Patil (12) from Takkalaki village in Basavana Bagewadi taluk were struck by lightning, while the duo was returning home from a summer camp. The two took shelter under a tree while it was raining, and were killed on the spot. Two oxen were also struck by lightning at Kolhar village in Vijayapura taluk.
In Raichur
Heavy rainfall in Raichur city and the surrounding areas, claimed the life of Shivu (25), after his house collapsed at Zahirabad Layout in the City.
The house was in a dilapidated condition and collapsed due to heavy rainfall. A case has been registered at the Netajinagar police station.
In Dharwad
Husseinsab Kalkoti (55) was struck by lightning at Narendra village in Dharwad taluk, while he was grazing cows. He rushed to take shelter under a tree, when it began raining and was struck by lightning.
Heavy wind and rain lashed Dharwad City and the surrounding areas for some time on Thursday evening. Several trees were uprooted and roads were water-logged. Hubballi too witnessed light showers.
In Davangere
Untimely rains, strong winds wreaked havoc at Channagiri in Davangere district and Chikkajajur in Chitradurga district on Thursday evening. About 18 acres of banana plantations were felled by strong winds in Channagiri taluk. In Channapatna village of Holalkere taluk in Chitradurga, several banana planters suffered crop losses due to strong winds.
In Chikkaballapur
Hailstorm has destroyed ready for harvest horticulture and vegetable crops worth Rs 5 crore in Chikkaballapur and Shidlaghatta taluks.
In Bidar
Heavy rains coupled with gale winds and hailstones lashed at several parts of Bidar. Sudden showers threw traffic out of gear on major streets due to water-logging.
In Shivamogga
Moderate to heavy rain accompanied by thunder, lightning and strong wind lashed several parts of Shivamogga district on Thursday evening. Shikaripur, Thirthahalli, Hosanagar, Sorab received moderate to heavy rain. Some parts of Sagar, Shivamogga and Bhadravathi also received moderate rain.
One acre plantain farm was damaged at Karlekoppa village near Ripponpet due to the strong wind in Hosanagar taluk. Four persons sustained injuries when branch of a tree fell on the car on Hosanagar-Anandpur Road. Power supply was disrupted in rural areas across Hosanagar taluk. Similarly, several parts of Thirthahalli taluk including Agumbe received good spell of rains.
In Gadag
Naragund taluk received heavy rainfall for more than an hour, bringing respite to the people.
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