Lightning toll reaches 34 in Marathwada, one killed in Mumbai

Aurangabad, Maharashtra, June 20 (UNI) The death toll due to lightning reached to 34 in Marathwada, with five more deaths reported on the fourth day today, as heavy rains accompanied by thundershowers continued to lash the region.

According to information available at the divisional commissionerate here today, 34 people were killed and 17 injured due to lightning in seven of the eight districts of Central Maharashtra's Marathwada region, in the last four days.

Latur turned out to be the top in the tragedy, registering nine deaths, followed by Aurangabad (seven), Beed (six) Jalna (five), Parbhani (three) and Nanded and Osmanabad two each.

Besides, 17 people sustained injuries in these seven districts, sources said.

Financial assistance worth Rs 17 lakh has been distributed to the people affected by the natural calamity in the region while a process of assessment of affected people is on to provide them Government aid, as per the rules, Deputy Divisional Commissioner Dileep Shinde told newspersons here today.

Meanwhile, a report from Mumbai said even as there were a few showers in some areas of the city, one person died and six others sustained injuries when lightning struck them near Girgaon Chowpatty in South Mumbai.

According to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) disaster management centre, Sakuri More (45) was killed and six injured in the incident.

The Indian Metereological Department (IMD) has forecast spell of rainfall or thundershowers in the metropololis and its suburbs in the next 24 hours.

Besides, as per the rainfall figures of today in Marathwada, Latur recorded highest rainfall of 22.8 mm in last 24 hours followed by Hingoli 19.5 mm, Jalna 14.8 mm, Aurangabad 11.1 mm, Osmanabad 10 mm, Beed 7.7 mm, Nanded 6.9 mm, and Parbhani 5.2 mm.

Hingoli tehsil in Hingoli district has recorded heavy rainfall (76 mm), followed by Dharmabad in Nanded tehsil (71 mm) and Nilanga (72.5 mm), official sources said.

With the widespread rainfall in the last four days, sowing operations in the Marathwada region have started picking up at several places. Cotton is the major crop of the region, followed by soyabean, groundnut, maize and toor, sources added.

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