Guntur: Five killed in lightning strike

With thunderstorms and lightning strikes hitting  Guntur district in Andhra Pradesh on Thursday evening, five people lost their lives and several others were injured.

One of the deceased, Chinnapureddy Siva Reddy had taken his buffaloes out to graze in the fields when lightening struck him and resulted in his death.

Earlier this month, six deaths were reported due to lightning strikes from Srikakulam district in north coastal Andhra. On the same day, three farmers also were struck by lightening in Mancherial district of Telangana.

However, the Krishna and Vijayawada regions of the state are witnessing contrast temperatures.

Meanwhile, district officials are on high alert due to the heat wave with health centers being asked to accommodate sunstroke victims.

The Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) alerted ‘heavy thunderstorm activity’ expected in Guntur, Prakasam, Krishna, and Nellore districts.

Within a short span, the APDSMA recorded an overwhelming number of lightning strikes. However, the Indian Meteorological Department gave an assurance that the thunderstorms of such severity during the summer season are a common aspect.