Five people died in three separate incidents due to heavy rains in Karnataka on Saturday night, officials said.
Heavy rains lashed Mysuru, Chamarajanagara, Mandya, Hubballi, Bidar, Dakshina Kannada and Kalburgi districts, with winds affecting normal life.
Officials said a mother and two sons, identified as Jharanamma (42) and her sons Mahesh (21) and Suresh (20), residents of Nagargalli, were electrocuted in Chincholi town of Kalburgi district on Saturday night.
According to officials, Jharanamma went to the backyard of her house to cover a plastic sheet on a rice bran bag due to rain.
She stepped on a live electric wire, which was cut after a tree fell near her house. The sons who went to rescue her also died of electrocution, officials said, adding that the husband, Ambanna, sustained minor injuries and is out of danger.
Soon after the incident, the police and Gulbarga Electricity Supply Company Limited (GESCOM) officials visited the spot.
‘’We received information about the electrocution on Saturday night, and our officials immediately rushed to the spot and disconnected the power supply,” B Chandra Shekar, GESCOM chief engineer, said.
The GESCOM also incurred property loss due to heavy rains in the last three days. “I have instructed division officers to submit a report about the estimation of loss. The family of the mother and sons who died due to electrocution will be provided suitable compensation as per norms,” he added.
In Bidar district, a farmer died in Sheenala village in Kamalanagara taluk due to lightning, officials said.
The deceased, identified as Lahu Madhava Rao Beerge (36), died on the spot while standing under a tree due to rains and lightning, they added.
The border district also suffered huge crop loss due to heavy rains on Saturday, with some parts receiving hailstorms as well, officials close to developments said, adding that several electric poles and trees fell to the ground and people’s lives were disrupted.
In Mandya district, a farmer died in Hadli village in Halaguru Hobali of Malavalli taluk on Saturday when a tree fell on him due to heavy rains. The deceased, Shivalinge Gowda (61), was returning home when the incident occurred.
On March 16, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a forecast that heavy rain and thunderstorms are very likely to occur at isolated places over the state.
People in several villages, including Nittur Kudli and Nagarala, are surviving without electricity, according to locals.
Bananas and mangoes grown by farmers have been destroyed due to incessant rains, they added.
‘’Heavy rains damaged mango, banana and other crops in the district. Lakhs of rupees of government property and electricity poles were destroyed. The officials are yet to estimate the exact amount of loss,‘’ Bidar additional deputy commissioner Shiva Kumar Sheelavant said.
‘’According to estimates, more than 400 acres of crops of tomato, ground nut, maize and chillies were destroyed due to heavy rains in Yadgiri district,‘’ S S Abid, joint director of the agriculture department, said.
