Thundershowers leave at least five dead across Karnataka

At least five people were killed and Hailstorm, coupled with thunder & lightning and gusty winds, on Sunday left at least three dead while destroying crops on vast tracts of land in old Mysuru, central and north Karnataka regions.

In two separate rain-related incidents in Mysuru district, two farmers perished while two others sustained burns. At Mantikoppalu in Hunsur taluk, Harish (42) was struck dead by lightning at his farm. Swami (18) was electrocuted when he stepped on a live wire that got severed following the gusty winds at Barase in Hunsur taluk. Two others - Harish and Sanjay have suffered burns.

Lokesh, a 55-year-old farmer from Avarthi in Periyapatna taluk, died in a lightning strike.

Mysuru city and several parts of the district experienced thunderstorm in the evening. Biligiriranganabetta and Hanur in Chamarajanagar district received hailstorm. Power supply was hit in Kodagu district following a lightning strike to 66kV supply station at Kushalnagar. Parts of Hassan district, including Sakleshpur also witnessed. The gopura of a jain temple in Saligrama has been damaged after iron sheets from a community hall crashed into the structure due to strong winds.

A 58-year-old man died on the spot after a huge branch of a roadside tree fell on him near a branch office of Coffee Board in Mudigere taluk. Deceased Venugopal was the owner of Madhuban Homestay. Kottigehara, Baluru, Charmadi Ghat and Kalasa witnessed sharp showers in the evening.

Many parts of Tumakuru district recorded sharp showers in the evening. Tree fall incidents were reported in Tiptur and Turuvekere taluks. In Sidlaghatta taluk, Chikkaballapur district, the evening showers, coupled with strong winds, have damaged ready for harvest mango and horticultural crops, including pomegranate and tomato. Sericulture farmers too have suffered losses. Electricity poles were uprooted in Kothanur as several villages plunged into darkness.

The coconut and mango growers in Hiriyur taluk have suffered severe losses following the strong winds that swept across the region on Saturday night. As many as 23 electricity poles were damaged in the taluk affecting the power supply. Many parts of Chitradurga and Davangere districts experienced thundershowers.

Up north, Hubballi-Dharwad, parts of Haveri, Gadag and Koppal districts received thundershowers in the evening. Srikanth Meti (16) perished in a lightning strike at Shivapur in Koppal taluk.