Rains Lash AP, Lightning Kills 3

 Visakhapatnam: Moderate to heavy rainfall, accompanied by thunder and lightning, struck parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema districts in Andhra Pradesh since Monday, claiming three lives.

However, the rain provided a much-needed reprieve from the searing heatwave that swept the state for the last two weeks. Nandyal, Kurnool, Kadapa and Anantapur recorded an average temperature of 42 degrees Celsius.

A 41-year-old Parasa Rama Rao died as lightning struck him at Yadavalli village under Lingapalem mandal in Eluru district. Rama Rao was grazing cattle near a field.

In another incident, lightning killed Bondala Nagendramma (52) and her 25-year-old daughter, Y. Nagarani, when they were returning from a farm at Vutukuru under Krosuru mandal of Palnadu district.

A trough running from east Vidarbha to south Tamil Nadu brought rain and thunderstorms to AP on Tuesday. The system is likely to bring more rainfall on Wednesday, the weatherman said.

Normal life was thrown out of gear and more than six places reported mild water logging, with trees and power poles uprooted at a few localities, as heavy rain accompanied by gusty winds lashed Rajamahendravaram town in East Godavari district on Tuesday.

An unexpected hailstorm brought cheer to the people in a few villages under Chintapalli and Paderu mandals in ASR district.

Though the rain brought down the mercury levels by 2 to 6 degree Celsius on Tuesday, the summer rain caused damage to chilli, maize and mango crops in parts of the state.

IMD said Vemagiri in Rajamahendravaram recorded 12.4 cm rainfall, Palasa (Srikakulam district) and Palamaner (Chittoor district) 6 cm each between Monday night and Tuesday morning, followed by 5 cm rainfall each in Tekkali (Srikakulam) and Atmakur (Nandyal) and 4 cm in Arogyavaram (Annamayya).

Parvathipuram (Manyam), Madanapalle (Annamayya), Atlur (Kadapa) and some places in the state recorded rainfall between 1 cm and 3 cm.

IMD has predicted moderate rainfall and thundershowers at a few places across the state on May 8, Wednesday, which included Chittoor, Annamayya and Tirupati districts of the Rayalaseema region and Nellore. ASR and Srikakulam districts of CAP is expected to receive heavy rainfall.