Devotees, heading to Yellammanagudda, brave a flooded road between Ugargol and Yellammanagudda, at Saundatti taluk in Belagavi district on Friday. DH Photo
Credit: DH Photo
Heavy rains, coupled with thunder and lightning battered Vijayapura and Kalyana Karnataka districts took the shine off the Varamahalakshmi festival on Friday.
A farmer was struck dead by a lightning bolt at Madalinganal in Hunasagi taluk of Yadgir district. While Paramanna Kakkeri (28) died on the spot, his brother Hanumanth suffered burns and has been rushed to a hospital in Yadgir.
The incident occurred when they were taking shelter under a tree in their farm when skies opened up.
Heavy downpour for over three hours on Friday night affected the normal life in Vijayapura city and parts of the district.
The sharp spell of rain left the low-lying areas and roads flooded. Several parts of the district, including Basavana Bagewadi, Talikot, Nalatwad, Sindagi, witnessed thundershowers in the evening. With streams and Doni river in spate, crops, including tur, sunflower and cotton on hundreds of acres have been damaged due to flooding.
The state highway near Talikot has been closed for traffic with the submergence of the bridge across Doni river. The vehicles going towards Hubballi, Bagalkot, Vijayapura, Kalaburagi and Raichur were forced to take a detour.
The road between Ugargol and Yellammanagudda near Saundatti was closed for traffic after a stream flooded the bridge. While some devotees braved the flooded road to reach Yellammanagudda, others took a detour to the temple town.
Several parts of Kolar district, including KGF and Mulbagal, received intermittent spells of heavy rain on Friday. Waterlogging was reported at several places on NH 75 and low-lying areas in Mulbagal town.