Heavy rain in North and Central Karnataka leaves 5 dead

Several districts in northern and central Karnataka received heavy rain, accompanied by gusty winds, hailstorm, thunder and lightning, on Thursday. At least five people, including two children, have died in rain-related incidents.

Dharwad received heavy rain accompanied by gusty winds, hailstorm and thunderstorm on Thursday afternoon for more than an hour. Trees were uprooted in several areas and arterial roads were inundated. Rainwater gushed into houses in low-lying areas such as Sadhunavar Estate, parts of Saptapur, Mehboob Nagar and Nehru Nagar. A bar and restaurant in Saptapur was partially submerged and tetra packets of liquor floated in the resulting pool. A car parked in front of Cosmos Club near Court Circle was damaged after a tree branch fell on it. Some bikes parked in front of the HDMC office were found floating in the rainwater.

Hubballi received moderate rain for about 20 minutes in the afternoon. Drains overflowed, roads were inundated and water gushed into houses in low-laying areas of Old Hubballi. 
Heavy rain lashed Shivamogga, Bhadravathi, Thirthahalli, Hosanagar and Sagar for more than 30 minutes in the evening.

Heavy rain lashed Kalagi in Chittapur taluk, and Sedam taluk in Kalaburagi district. In Sedam town, a pandal erected in front of Vasavi Kalyana Mantap, where Hemareddy Mallamma Jayanti was being held, collapsed following heavy rain. Rural Development Minister H K Patil and Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy were participating in the programme.

Shopkeeper killed 
A man was killed and his father injured after an uprooted tree fell on a paan shop as it rained heavily at Beedi village in Khanapur taluk. The shopkeeper, Israr Mohammad Rafiq Kittur (21), was killed on the spot while his father Mohammad Rafiq Kittur escaped with injuries. Two maxi cabs, 10 motorcycles and a bakery were damaged in the incident.

Shepherd killed 
Davangere and Chitradurga districts, too, received moderate rainfall. Chandrappa (35), a shepherd from Gollarahatti near Bharamasagar, was struck by lightning at Sigemaradigudda near Palavvanahalli in Hiriyur taluk.

Man dies in wall collapse 
Govindappa (68) was killed when the walls of his house at Nannivala village in Challakere taluk of Chitradurga district collapsed and fell on him.

Two kids die in Ballari 
Various parts of Ballari district also received heavy rainfall. Hosapete town and the surrounding areas received heavy rainfall for more than an hour in the evening.

Two young siblings were struck by lightning at Gollarahatti village in Chorunur hobli of Sandur taluk. Akash (8) and Puttarjau (10) were killed while Yashodha (12) was seriously injured. All the three are children of Thimmappanavar. The incident took place when the trio had gone to the farmland to collect fodder. At Chowdapur village in Kudligi taluk, lightning struck 57 sheep and four goats.