MYSURU: Staff of the Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation (CESC) and Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) were pressed into restoration works after hundreds of trees and electricity poles were uprooted in the city in the Friday’s heavy downpour resulting in several areas plunging into complete darkness for hours together.
One person was dead and several others were injured in the rain fury. The deceased has been identified as Shivakumar of Marashettahalli in Myusru taluk. To take shelter from rain, he was standing under a zinc sheet roof which fell on him due to wild winds, killing him on the spot.
In another incident, four others, including an auto driver, were injured after a tree fell on his rickshaw. In the third incident, three students were injured after a tree fell on the scooter near JSS Medical College. They sustained injuries in their head and are recovering.
Meanwhile, the CESC and corporation staff swung into action and pressed earth movers into service to clear the trees and the streets.
Pourakarmikas attached to the MCC had to skip their garbage collection duty and join the restoration work. The power supply was restored in many localities by noon. The CESC had to replace over 300 damaged electricity poles.
M Jameel Ahmad, a resident of Yadavgiri, said several uprooted trees and electricity poles had blocked the road completely. He said residents were facing serious problems due to long power outages. “CESC and MCC staff must work in tandem to ensure early restoration of power supply,” he said.
Many residents complained of their electronic appliances being damaged due to power fluctuation. Several streetlight also bore the brunt of the rain fury.
Angry villagers stage protest
Villagers of Sulekhobe staged a protest in front of the Mennyam panchayat office in Hanur taluk over callousness of officials in visiting the damaged banana plantation. Villagers alleged that banana plantations in more than 20 acres were damaged and there are also reports of crop loss in Kollegal, Chamarajanagar and parts of Gundlupet. The alleged that the CESC staff are yet to replace the damaged electricity poles that fell on several houses. They want the officials to visit the affected areas immediately.
Newlywed man struck by lightning dies
A 34-year-old newlywed man died after being struck by a massive lightning at his residence on Friday night. Somasundar, a resident of Parvathamukhi in Subramanya village in Kadaba taluk, is the deceased. The incident occurred when Somasundar was collecting dry arecanut before rain began. Though he was immediately shifted to the hospital, he was declared brought dead. Somasundar was operating a car washing business near Subramanya and he got married just 10 days ago. Rains across Sullia, Uppinangady and Subramanya damaged a few trees and electric poles. At Kinnigoli, an ancient tree estimated to be around 1,000 years old, which is considered the birthplace of Sri Kanthabare and Boodabare, the legendary figures of Kollur in Mulki, got uprooted on Friday.