Lightning, rain kill 23 in Andhra Pradesh

Guntur/Ongole/Nellore/Krishna: Probably for the first time, as many as 23 people died in Andhra Pradesh on Sunday after being struck by lightning that accompanied the heavy rains due to the low pressure over the Bay of Bengal. The Chief Minister’s Communication Office confirmed the deaths.

According to reports, four people each were killed in Nellore and Prakasam districts, three in Guntur district, two in Krishna and East Godavari districts and one each in Anantapur and Srikakulam districts.

Also, women cricketers of Andhra Pradesh and Tripura teams had a narrow escape when lightning struck a tree at the ACA cricket stadium in Percharla. Bandaru Anandarao, 50, a farmer, died on the spot at Dondapadu village of Narasaraopeta Mandal and four others were injured. U. Venkatanarayana, 60, died in his farmland when struck by lightning.

In another incident, farmer Sivarambabu died in his farms at Vaddamanu of the capital region. Four persons, including a woman and her son, died when struck by lightning in three separate incidents in Prakasam district. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu reviewed the situation on Sunday and announced Rs 4 lakh ex gratia for the kin of those killed by lightning.