Rain, gusty winds batter Kalyana Karnataka, central districts

Bengaluru: Heavy rain, coupled with thunder, lightning and gusty winds, battered Kalyana Karnataka and central districts on Saturday.

Evening showers brought some respite from sweltering heat to the Kalyana Karnataka districts, which were experiencing maximum temperatures of 41 - 43 degrees Celsius, but the strong winds and thunder activity poured misery on some.

In Kalyana Karnataka districts, two people, including a boy and three oxen, died in rain-related incidents. A 36-year-old man died after gusty winds pushed him down from the balcony of his house. Shailu Ramalu, a resident of Rayapalli in Aurad taluk of Bidar district, is the deceased. In Malkapur Camp of Sindhanur taluk, Raichur district, Shantakumar Basavaraj (16), a shepherd, was struck dead by a streak of lightning.

Two oxen in Alkod village of Raichur district, an ox  at Dhupatmahagaon in Bidar district and 10 sheep at Babaleshwar in Vijayapura district died due to lightning strikes.

The gopuram of Durgamma Devi Temple at Navali tanda near Kanakagiri in Koppal district developed cracks following a
lightning strike.

Roof sheets of several houses were blown away and several trees and electricity poles were uprooted  due to strong winds that swept across the region.

Several villages in the Kalyana Karnataka districts plunged into darkness with strong winds snapping power lines.

Parts of Mumbai Karnataka districts, including Dharwad, Vijayanagar, Ballari, Haveri, Gadag, Bagalkot and Vijayapura districts also witnessed light to moderate rain on Saturday
evening.

Shivamogga city experienced a good spell of rain in the evening. The showers, accompanied by thunder activity and gusty winds, brought down several trees and electricity poles in parts of the city, including on 100-foot road in Vinobha Nagar. Two stray cattle were struck dead by lightning.

Thundershowers lashed several parts of Shivamogga and Davangere districts. Holalkere town saw a brief spell of sharp showers in the afternoon.

Hundreds of arecanut and banana trees were damaged in the thunderstorm that battered Varkate village in NR Pura taluk of Chikkamagaluru. Parts of the district also witnessed a good spell of rain in the evening.

More rain predicted

The India Meteorological Department has predicted more rain, coupled with thunder and lightning, in coastal and Malnad districts for Sunday. The IMD has forecast rain in over 22 districts on April 17.