JOIN USRain, hailstorms bring respite to parched Karnataka
In some respite from the sweltering heat, several parts of Karnataka on Sunday witnessed light to moderate rainfall coupled with thunderstorms and hailstorms.
While a few districts received only moderate spell of showers, meteorologists said that central and northern Karnataka districts witnessed hailstorms and thunderstorms.
Following the gradual increase in mercury levels — that touched 40 degrees Celsius in some parts of the state — and the formation of a trough from north to south, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a yellow alert on Saturday, suggesting moderate rain and thunderstorm activities in south interior and central Karnataka districts. Officials at IMD, Bengaluru, said the situation will prevail for a couple of days.
Attributing the rains and hailstorms to existing trough over peninsular region, Dr G S Srinivasa Reddy, director, Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC), said the high temperature had resulted in the formation of convection clouds across North Karnataka. “Due to increased temperature and clouding activity, the districts across north have seen thunderstorms,” he said.
Meanwhile, a shepherd in Muddebihal taluk of Vijayapura died in lightning strike.
Two to three hours of rain in several districts brought enough inflow into parched water bodies. “Chitradurga until evening witnessed about 40 mm rainfall. Similarly, Badami in Bagalkot and Harapanahalli in Ballari received 90 and 65 mm rainfall. Most of the districts from Bidar to Chamarajanagar witnessed moderate rainfall,” Reddy said. Rains across Vijayapura also put ready-to-harvest grape crop in peril.
Districts like Chitradurga, Davanagere, Chamarajanagara, Hassan and Chikkamagaluru also witnessed hailstorms and moderate rainfall from 30 mm to 50 mm.