Four dead & 6 injured in lightning strikes in Marathwada

CHHATRAPATI SAMBHAJINAGAR: Four people were killed and six others were injured in lightning incidents amid intermittent spells of rain in different parts of Marathwada over the weekend. The adverse weather also killed 39 head of cattle in different parts of the region. Crops were damaged on 84 hectares in the Latur district, revealed the official data.
Indumati Honde, a 60-year-old farm worker from Mandewadgaon village in Manvath taluka of Parbhani district, died in a lightning strike around 11.30 am on Saturday. In a similar incident, 60-year-old Mahadev Garje, of Surdi village in Ashti taluka of Beed district, died when lightning struck the tree he was taking shelter under around 5.30 pm on Saturday. Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Hingoli too witnessed one death each due to lightning strikes. The identities of these two deceased were not ascertained.

Revenue department authorities said the family members of the deceased will get compensation as per norms once the panchanama process is over. “The compensation towards the loss of livestock and crops will be issued as per norms too,” a senior official said.
Among eight districts of Marathwada, Beed district reported the highest rainfall of 13 mm during the latest spell of unseasonal showers. Beed is followed by Latur (12 mm), Osmanabad (11mm), Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (10mm), Jalna (6mm), Nanded (5mm), Hingoli (3mm) and Parbhani (2 mm).
K K Dakhore, an agricultural meteorologist with the university, said barring chances of partly cloudy skies towards evening over the next 24 hours, many parts of Marathwada are likely to witness clear skies for the next few days. “The mercury level, which dipped due to the showers, is expected to return to the normal level. There is no fresh threat of hailstorm or lightning,” he said.
At 34.8 degrees Celsius, the minimum temperature at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar was below the normal by two units, revealed the data.