Unseasonal rains cause heavy damage to cash crops in four districts

- Standing paddy crops too hit -Traffic disrupted as uprooted trees block roads - Victims' families demand govt compensation Hyderabad: Twelve people died and mango, banana, chilli, groundnut, cashew and vegetable crops in hundreds of acres were damaged when unseasonal rains, hailstorms and lightning struck many areas in Prakasam, Nellore, Guntur and Nalgonda districts on Monday. Rains in some parts of Hyderabad city and Visakhapatnam district brought down the mercury giving some relief to the people reeling under scorching heat. A In Prakasam district, heavy rains accompanied by high velocity winds, hailstorms and lightning claimed three lives in three separate incidents. A person was killed when lightning struck in Kolakalapudi village of Marturu mandal while two other lightning-struck people died in Venkatapuram village of Addanki mandal and Krishnamrajupalli village in Korasipadu mandal. Due to heavy rains and strong gales, several trees and high-tension electricity pylons were uprooted disrupting road traffic between villages in several parts of the district. Mirchi, mango crops were damaged in several hundred acres in Singarayakonda, Ulavapadu and Kandukuru areas due to heavy unseasonal rains. Untimely rains lashed Nellore district on Monday claiming three lives and injuring four others. Hundreds of heads of livestock also perished in the heavy rains and lightning. A According to official sources, Kakamani Pedavengamma (40) of Agraharam village in Kondapuram mandal, D Balaiah (40) and Sushila of Kothapalli village in the same mandal died after lightning struck them. Mango, lemon, banana, vegetable crops in hundreds of acres were alsodamaged in the district. In Guntur district, three people died and mirchi, mango, turmeric and maize crops in hundreds of acres were damaged by rains and hailstorms. According to official sources, three persons, one each in Kakunuru, Cherukupalli and Atchampeta mandals, died due to lightning. Relatives of the dead persons demanded adequate government compensation to the kin of those killed by lightning. A In Nalgonda district, a couple, Narsing Nagaiah (50) and his wife Sushila (45), were electrocuted while drying their clothes after rain stopped in Jonnagatlagudem village in Thiparthi mandal. Another person identified as Sunkaraboina Kanakaiah was electrocuted in his house when power supply was restored after the rain stopped. According to official sources, standing paddy crops were damaged due to untimely rains in Chityala, Ramannapeta, Narketpalli, Kattamgur, Nalgonda and Thipparthi mandals. The mango crops in Ramannapeta and Chityala mandals were also hit.