Lightning claims 8 lives in Vidarbha

Nagpur, Nov 2 (UNI) Lightning claimed eight lives, including that of three women, as unseasonal rains lashed several parts of Vidarbha region of Maharashtra during the last 24 hours.

According to police, two farm labourers, identified as Vilas Dandare (32) and Baby Dandare (27), were killed on the spot when lightning struck them while they were working in a field in village Dahegaon near Wardha yesterday.

In another incident in Hinganghat in the same district, Kanta Ramaji Netam (70) was killed when lightning struck her while she had gone to releave herself in Hinganghat last evening, the police said.

In Buldhana district, Basudeo Singh Nago Singh, a resident of Hajaribag district (Jharkhand), died when struck by lightning in a field in village Pimpalgaon Sailani near the district headquarters yesterday, the police said.

Kamlabai Baliram Morukh (45) of village Chaundhi Takleshwar and Govinda Tukaram Kaulkar (40) of village Kakoda, both in Samgrampur tehsil of the district, were killed in similar fashion last evening, the police added.

Another farm labourer, identified as Savita Laxman Gatlewar (32), was killed when struck by lightning while working in a field in village Mukutban in Wani tehsil of Yavatmal district yesterday.

In the other incident, Vinod Nanaji Utane (22) of village Rajur Ijara, also in Wani tehsil, was killed on the spot when lightning struck him yesterday, the police informed.

Meanwhile, the local Meteorological Office said that the rainfall occurred under the influence of a trough line passing over Vidarbha consequent to the weakening of the system that caused rains in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu over the past few days.

Light rainfall or thundershower is likely to occur at some places in Vidarbha over the next 24 hours, the met office said.

The rainfall recorded at various places in Vidarbha during the last 24 hours ending 0800 hrs today is as follows - Gondia 1.2 mm, Nagpur Airport 27.8 mm, Nagpur City 75.0 mm, Wardha 11.0 mm, Washim 5.0 mm, Akola 7.4 mm and Yavatmal 6.2 mm, the weatherman added.

UNI