Twelve die as rain lashes State

At least 12 people were killed in the heavy rains that lashed different parts of the State on Thursday.

Hailstorm and lightning were also reported in some areas, according to reports reaching here.

Lighting attacks

At Arsikere in Hassan district, three people and 25 sheep died when they were struck by lightning. While Chandrashekar (26) of Adihalli died when lightning struck a hut where he was taking shelter along with 25 sheep, Ravish (25) and Danesh (30) of Kadehalli and Neeragund-Hosahalli villages, respectively, were killed by lightning when they were standing under a tree after were attending Veerabhadreshwara Jathra.

Revenue officials visited the spot and police have registered two cases.

Mahesh (10) was injured by lightning, while his two cows died at Anenahalli in Arasikere. He was admitted to General Hospital, Arasikere.

In Kollegal of Chamarajanagar district, two shepherds died when lightning struck them at Lakkikere near Shagya in the taluk.

Siddaiah (55) and Nagaraju (22) were returning home after grazing sheep. Tahsildar V Venkateshmurthy visited the spot and handed over a cheque of Rs one lakh each to the family of the victims.

In Challakere district of Shivamurthy (32), a farmer who was working in a field died after he was struck by lightning. There was a mild rainfall in Chitradurga town bringing down the temperature. In Holalkere taluk, it rained hailstones.

In Nelamangala taluk of  Bangalore Rural district, lightning killed Kempanna (24) at Channavalli village.

Wall collapse

In Moledoddi village of Channapatna taluk of Ramanagara district, two children, Yogesh (13) and Teja (8), died when the wall of their house collapsed in the rain. In Channavalli village of the same taluk, Kempaiah (55) died after he was struck by lightning.

Hailstorm was also reported in Davangere town where it damaged paddy crops in some places. In Mariyammanahalli of Bellary district, Huligemma (25) died after lightning struck while she was harvesting groundnut crop.

In Hirehalli A Colony of H D Kote in Mysore district, Krishna (27) died when he was struck by lightning while supervising the sinking of a borewell.

In Shimoga district hailstorm was reported in Shimoga, Bhadravati and Tirthahalli taluks. It rained for about one hour in the mid-afternoon.

In Chikmagalur district, rain was accompanied by thunder, lightning and hailstones. Loss of mango blossom has been reported in some parts. It rained heavily between 4 pm and 5 pm in Tarikere, Kadur, Birur, Ajjampur towns of the district, reports said.

Tarikere reported a heavy rainfall of 68mm. Four trees were uprooted along Tarikere-Ajjampur Road. Good rains were reported from Mudigere, Kalasa, Balehonnur, Narasimharajapur Koppa town of Malnad region.