<p>Bengaluru: A couple and two children died in their sleep after the ceiling of their house collapsed on them following heavy showers, at Moratagi village in Almel taluk of Vijayapura district in the small hours of Friday.</p>.<p>The deceased are: Gurunath Badiger (35), his wife Jyothi Badiger (28), their two children Kalamma (13) and Kirthi (9). Gurunath Badiger’s mother Shantabai and his son Veeresh escaped unhurt in the incident.</p>.<p>The Badiger family was staying at a rented house next to their own house which was under renovation.</p>.<p>District Minister M B Patil expressed grief over the loss of four lives and announced a compensation of Rs 20 lakh. He also assured that the educational expenses of the boy would be taken care of and that the compensation amount will be deposited in the bank in the name of the lone surviving member of the family.</p>.<p>Unseasonal rain, accompanied by thunder and lightning, on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday wreaked havoc on houses, banana plantations and power infrastructure in many north Karnataka districts, including Vijayapura, Belagavi, Dharwad, Kalaburagi, Yadgir and Ballari districts. </p>.<p>The ready to harvest banana on over hundreds of acres was destroyed as gusty winds and heavy showers caused significant damage to plantations in Kolhar and Basavana Bagewadi taluks in Vijayapura district.</p>.Bengaluru: Authorities assess rain preparedness, focus on flood-prone areas.<p>“Banana plantations on three acres were completely destroyed in the storm yesterday night. I had spent lakhs to cultivate bananas and was hoping to reap good yields. Also, the prices of bananas in the market are good compared to previous years. The overnight showers and gusty winds shattered my hopes. I have lost the ready-to-harvest banana ... I don’t know what to do,” rues Srishail Hangaragi, a banana grower from Masuthi in Kolhar taluk.</p>.<p>Tin roof sheets of several houses in Kolhar taluk were blown away in the storm.</p>.<p>Tree falls and uprooting of electricity poles were reported at several places in Vijayapura, Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Dharwad and Uttara Kannada districts. Several cattle heads were also perished in the said districts in lightning strikes.</p>.<p>A 60-year-old farmer was killed in a lightning strike at Jakanapalli village of Sedam taluk in Kalaburagi district late Thursday evening. The incident occurred when Ashappa Kampin was working at his farm.</p>.<p>In Davangere district, 12 houses were partially damaged and bananas grown on 79 acres were lost in the Thursday night storm.</p>.<p>Heavy rain, coupled with high-intensity winds, lashed parts of Karkala and Honnavar taluks in the coastal region.</p>.<p>Virajpet and surrounding areas in Kodagu district received a good spell of rain on Friday evening. The showers brought down the soaring temperatures in the hilly district.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: A couple and two children died in their sleep after the ceiling of their house collapsed on them following heavy showers, at Moratagi village in Almel taluk of Vijayapura district in the small hours of Friday.</p>.<p>The deceased are: Gurunath Badiger (35), his wife Jyothi Badiger (28), their two children Kalamma (13) and Kirthi (9). Gurunath Badiger’s mother Shantabai and his son Veeresh escaped unhurt in the incident.</p>.<p>The Badiger family was staying at a rented house next to their own house which was under renovation.</p>.<p>District Minister M B Patil expressed grief over the loss of four lives and announced a compensation of Rs 20 lakh. He also assured that the educational expenses of the boy would be taken care of and that the compensation amount will be deposited in the bank in the name of the lone surviving member of the family.</p>.<p>Unseasonal rain, accompanied by thunder and lightning, on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday wreaked havoc on houses, banana plantations and power infrastructure in many north Karnataka districts, including Vijayapura, Belagavi, Dharwad, Kalaburagi, Yadgir and Ballari districts. </p>.<p>The ready to harvest banana on over hundreds of acres was destroyed as gusty winds and heavy showers caused significant damage to plantations in Kolhar and Basavana Bagewadi taluks in Vijayapura district.</p>.Bengaluru: Authorities assess rain preparedness, focus on flood-prone areas.<p>“Banana plantations on three acres were completely destroyed in the storm yesterday night. I had spent lakhs to cultivate bananas and was hoping to reap good yields. Also, the prices of bananas in the market are good compared to previous years. The overnight showers and gusty winds shattered my hopes. I have lost the ready-to-harvest banana ... I don’t know what to do,” rues Srishail Hangaragi, a banana grower from Masuthi in Kolhar taluk.</p>.<p>Tin roof sheets of several houses in Kolhar taluk were blown away in the storm.</p>.<p>Tree falls and uprooting of electricity poles were reported at several places in Vijayapura, Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Dharwad and Uttara Kannada districts. Several cattle heads were also perished in the said districts in lightning strikes.</p>.<p>A 60-year-old farmer was killed in a lightning strike at Jakanapalli village of Sedam taluk in Kalaburagi district late Thursday evening. The incident occurred when Ashappa Kampin was working at his farm.</p>.<p>In Davangere district, 12 houses were partially damaged and bananas grown on 79 acres were lost in the Thursday night storm.</p>.<p>Heavy rain, coupled with high-intensity winds, lashed parts of Karkala and Honnavar taluks in the coastal region.</p>.<p>Virajpet and surrounding areas in Kodagu district received a good spell of rain on Friday evening. The showers brought down the soaring temperatures in the hilly district.</p>
