VIJAYAWADA: Lightning struck three farmers to death while they were at work in the fields in Krishna and Guntur districts on Sunday.
Tenant farmer Matti Venkata Ramayya, 53, from Ramachandrapuram village of Avanigadda mandal in Krishna district, was spreading a tarpaulin sheet over harvested corn to save it from rain at Modumudi village when lightning struck him. Aanother farmer there suffered minor burns.
Two persons died after they were struck by lightning at Pathamallayapalem village in Prathipadu mandal in Guntur district. The deceased were Chatla Syam Babu,48, and Korivi Krupadanam, 54. They were covering chilies with a sheet when they were hit by lightning. It caused severe burn injuries. The two died after they were shifted to the PHC at Prathipadu.
Meanwhile, IMD issued a weather warning. “Thunderstorm accompanied by lightning is likely at isolated places. Gusty winds of speed reaching up to 50 kmph are likely at isolated places in Srikakulam, Parvathipuram Manyam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Alluri Sitaramaraju, Anakapalli, Kakinada, East Godavari,Yanam, Konseema, Eluru and West Godavari districts, it said.
It said thunderstorm accompanied by lightning was likely at isolated places in AP with winds gusting up to 50 kmph at isolated places from April 25 to 28.
Under the influence of rainfall, temperatures dipped by a maximum of 5.6 C in Kakinada and by a minimum of 0.4 C in Baptala. All the districts recorded a dip in day temperatures with Nandala recording the highest at 42 C while the lowest temperature was recorded at Narasapur, at 30.3 C.
IMD Amaravati scientist Dr Karuna Sagar said, “Several parts of AP would received moderate rainfall on Monday. Temperatures dipped all over the state under the influence of rainfall on Sunday, giving relief to the people.”
