Lightning Kills Four in Agency

VISAKHAPATNAM : Four people including a couple died when lightning struck them in the farmlands at Pindrangi village in K Kotapadu mandal of Vizag agency. The deceased were identified as S Apparao (45), S Kalavathi (36), J Eswara Rao (45), J Sanni Babu (38), all residents of Pindrangi and farmers by profession.

According to preliminary reports, the incident happened when the victims were returning home. The four took shelter under a tree in the sudden showers, but were killed on the spot when lightning struck the tree. K Kotapadu police registered a case and are investigating.

Meanwhile, due to the upper air trough running from Bihar to north coastal Andhra across Odisha and low level south eastern areas in the state, almost all the mandals in Srikakulam district, Vizianagaram agency and interior mandals of Vizag district received moderate rainfall Friday evening.

Some areas also witnessed thunderstorms along with heavy gales that destroyed standing crops. Srikakulam town, Amudalavalasa, Etcherla, Narasannapet, Palasa, Nandigama, Rajam, G Sigidam and several rural areas in Srikakulam besides Parvathipuram in Vizianagaram district and areas in Vizag like K Kotapadu and Pendurthi received moderate rainfall.