While nine people died and three persons were injured in Andhra Pradesh, five people, mostly farmers, died in Telangana in separate incidents of lightning strikes.
This is the single largest thunderbolt casualty in Telugu states on a single day in the last three years. Standing crop spread over hundreds of acres, particularly mango, was hit hard in the unseasonal rains and heavy gales.
Srikakulam district was the worst affected with six people succumbing to thunderbolt strikes, followed by Mancheryal district with three, and Kadapa and Vikarabad districts two each, and Vizianagaram one. All the three killed in lightning in Mancheryal district were farmers, who rushed to fields to cover their paddy produce from rain with polythene covers.
The identity of two people killed in Avunupalli village of Dharoor mandal in Vikarabad district is yet to be established. The victims in Mancheryal have been identified as R Rajaiah, K Bapu and J Ramesh.
Episodes of lightning have increased of late in Telugu states. Lightning deaths are now covered under the national calamity relief.
A report from Srikakulam said a fisherman, T Appala Narsaiah, 58, was struck by lightning while catching fish in a pond at Peddakollivalasa village of LN Peta mandal.
Many places in north coastal Andhra, except Visakhapatnam city, received moderate to heavy rains on Sunday. Visakhapatnam, however, experienced a cloudy weather. Mango, cashew and banana plantations were the worst affected due to the heavy winds and rain.
District collectors have been directed to send revenue teams to estimate the losses due to unseasonal rains.
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