Bengaluru, May 14: Several parts of the state including Bengaluru received rain. The storm and thunderstorms have marked the beginning of the typical weather changes of mid-May.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had earlier forecast light to moderate rains with thunderstorms in several districts including Bengaluru. A total of seven people died in the state on Tuesday due to lightning strikes, including two from the same family in Bellary district, two each in Koppal and Haveri districts and one in Vijayapura district.
While the summer rains brought relief to the sunny districts, crops were damaged in various places in the coastal, Malnad and interior districts. The crops were uprooted due to strong winds and rain.
Beerappa (45), who was engaged in farm work in Raravi village of Siruguppa taluk in Bellary district, and his elder brother's son Sunil (26) died on the spot. Basanagowda (40) of Mylapura village of Karatagi taluk in Koppal district and Yankappa Jadi (45) of Hulihaidar village of Kanakagiri taluk were the deceased. A farmer Mallappa Gurshanthappa Talikoti (47) was killed after being struck by lightning in Thangadgi village of Muddebihal taluk in Vijayapura district.
Two people were also killed in Haveri due to lightning. A 29-year-old young farmer, Sunil Sureshappa Kalera, was killed after being struck by lightning while returning home from field work in Kudapali village of Rattihalli taluk.
According to the weather department's forecast, light rain and cloudy weather are expected to continue for the next few days, especially in the evening. Districts like Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Chitradurga and Davangere are also likely to witness similar conditions.
According to the latest forecast issued by the India Meteorological Department, heavy rain is expected at isolated places over Andhra Pradesh, Coastal Karnataka, Kerala and Mahe, Madhya Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Heavy rain is expected at isolated places over Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura and sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim.
A 'Yellow Alert' has been issued for all districts of the state till Saturday, with heavy rain accompanied by strong winds at many places. The department has forecast that the rain will continue till the 20th.