Five farmers suffered minor injuries when lightning struck a paddy procurement centre at Mamidipalli village in Konaraopet mandal on Saturday evening.
According to sources, the incident occurred when the farmers were trying to cover their paddy with tarpaulin sheets on the premises of the procurement centre amid a spell of unseasonal rain. Five farmers including a woman farmer reportedly fell unconscious for a while in the lightning strike. They were rushed to a private hospital in Vemulawada.
The condition of the five farmers was stated to be out of danger.
In a separate incident, untimely rain coupled with gusty winds lashed Kanagarthi village in the same mandal late on Saturday afternoon. The sudden spell of rain accompanied by high velocity winds left the harvested paddy of several farmers soaked in the rainwater and four tin-roof houses were damaged in Kanagarthi.
Meanwhile, Collector Anuraag Jayanti asked the medical and health department officials to visit the injured farmers at a hospital in Vemulawada and ensure proper treatment to them.
