JOIN USHeavy rain wreaks havoc in Karnataka
Heavy rains accompanied by thunderstorm and lightning wreaked havoc and claimed five lives across the state on Tuesday.
The rains inundated low-lying areas and in some places, streams overflowed washing away crops. Lakes, wells, farm ponds and streams received a good quantity of water bringing a smile on faces of farmers, while the water level in rivers went up moderately.
Hosapete in Ballari district received rain for more than an hour. The whole town was under darkness as power supply was affected due to stormy winds. Prakash (33), who was relieving himself, was struck dead by lightning in Karekallu village of Ballari taluk.
There was widespread rain in Gadag district. Towns such as Lakshmeshwar, Shirahatti, Ron, Naragund, Gadag and Betageri received uninterrupted rain. There were reports of tree fall in Lakshmeshwar. Most of the water bodies in the district are overflowing as it has been raining for the past two weeks. As much as 10 quintals of cotton stocked in a shed were reduced to ashes in a lightning strike in Guddadapura village of Shirahatti taluk. Rainwater gushed into houses in low-lying areas in Gadag and Betageri. There was widespread rain in Nargund taluk also.
There was moderate rain in Hubballi and Dharwad. Badami in Bagalkot district received rain for around 30 minutes. Some taluks in Chitradurga district received moderate rain. It rained for a short duration in Ramdurg town of Belagavi district.
Moderate rains lashed Soraba, Thirthahalli, Bhadravathi, Shivamogga, Hosanagara and Sagara. Most parts of the district witnessed cloudy weather signalling heavy rains at night.