Lightning claims four lives in State

Heavy rains claimed four lives, besides damaging crops and houses across the State.
Two women, a man and a cow were struck dead by lightning at Alagapura village of Kollegal taluk in Chamarajanagar district.

The deceased, Sanna Madamma, 55, Rajamma, 35, and Siddappa, 28, were all residents of Alagapura.

Madamma, Rajamma and 20 other women were weeding a field in their village, when it started raining.

The two women took shelter under a neem tree in the field, while the others rushed to their homes in the village. Lightning struck the tree, killing the two women on the spot.

In a similar incident, Siddappa, a youth who took shelter under a tamarind tree in the village, was killed when he was struck by lightning.

A cow inside a cattleshed at the farmhouse of G Raje Gowda, on the outskirts of Alagapura, was struck dead by lightning.

Tahsildar Suresh Kumar rushed to the village to assess the situation.

The post mortem of the three victims was conducted at the Hanur primary health centre. A case has been registered at the Hanur rural police station.

Rs 1.5 lakh compensation

Assistant Commissioner A B Basavaraju directed the tahsildar to give a compensation of Rs 1.5 lakh to the families of each of the three victims.

Rain lashed across Dakshina Kannada district Sunday evening, claiming a life at Bedradka in Moodukodi. According to police, Mohammed, 18, was killed when he was struck by lightning.

A house belonging to Shivaram was damaged partially at Koyyur Cross in Belthangady. Rain  was reported at Talacauvery in Kodagu district also.

Loss of crops and damage to houses were reported as heavy rains lashed Pandavapura and Srirangapatna taluks in Mandya district and Kollegal taluk in Chamarajanagar district, Saturday night.

Rain accompanied by lightning and thunder damaged several houses across Pandavapura taluk. At Kyatanahalli village in the taluk, two houses were destroyed and an ox was struck dead by lightning.

Water from Visvesvaraya distribution canal, at Kennalu village, gushed into nearby fields damaging the crops as the canal embankment developed cracks.

Report on damage

Tahsildar B C Shivananda Murthy and his team visited Hosakote, Haralahalli, Chikkade, Chikkamarali, Kerethonnuru, Aralakuppe, Sitapura, Chikka Ayarahalli and Chittanahalli villages in the taluk and inspected the rain havoc.

A report on the rain damage in the taluk will be submitted to deputy commissioner, so that people ravaged by rain are compensated, the tahsildar said.

With the breach of the Chikkadevaraya Canal embankment at Kadatanalu village of Srirangapatna taluk, paddy, sugarcane, arecanut and coconut crops in Kadatanalu, Kennalu, Rampura and Kiranguru villages have come under water.

The embankment gave way as the taluk received 114 mm of rain late Saturday night, said officers with Cauvery Neeravari Nigama.

Due to lack of maintenance, the embankment of the canal had become weak. Though the authorities concerned were informed about the situation they did not act, said farmers Malle Gowda, Swami Gowda and others.

However, the officers said that repair work would be taken up soon. The heavy downpour that started late Saturday night continued uninterrupted till early Sunday morning in the entire Mysore region.