Nearly 2,000 acres of farm land with standing crops was reportedly damaged in Raichur and Yadgir districts due to copious rainfall and at least five people died after being struck by lightning in the last 48 hours. Manvi taluk in Raichur saw extensive damage after streams flooded agriculture fields and destroyed standing crops such as cotton, green chilli, sugarcane, and sunflower.
Several trees were uprooted in Deodurga, Manvi, and Lingasugur taluks. Electricity supply was badly hit in many villages after electrical poles were uprooted and transformers reportedly got burnt. Officials of Gulbarga Electricity Supply Company in Raichur and Yadgir are on the field to restore power supply.
Jakkaladinni, Aravi, Chagabhavi, and Khanapur villages in Raichur district, and Mudnal, Dandasollapur, Khanapur, Hayyal (B) and Kembhavi villages in Yadgir district suffered extensive crop losses. Paddy on hundreds of acres in Abbetumkur village was completely destroyed due to thunderstorms and rain.
Farmers have demanded compensation for the damages.
Lightning
A 15-year-old boy died on the spot when lightning struck in Kataki-Shahapur village in Yadgir taluk on Friday evening. Five persons, including four children, died and three people were injured due to lightning in different parts of the district in 48 hours.
The highest rainfall of 44 mm was received in Kalmala village in Raichur district followed by 30 mm in Yargera, and 13 mm in Raichur.
Bagadi Gautham, Deputy Commissioner of Raichur, told The Hindu that he has directed officials to survey the damage to crops once the rains stopped.
