Unseasonal rains lash some parts of Maharashtra; houses, crops hit

Parts of Maharashtra, including places in Yavatmal district in Vidarbha region and Nashik and Dhule districts in north Maharashtra, witnessed unseasonal showers, bringing respite from the searing heat, but causing damages to crops.

The unseasonal rains lashed parts of these districts last evening. While a 60-year-old woman died at a village in Yavatmal district after her house collapsed following heavy rains, in Dhule district, another woman died due to lightning strike.

“Unseasonal rains and hailstorm hit many villages in various tehsils in Yavatmal district on Thursday evening which caused heavy damages to the standing crops like vegetables and fruit gardens. One woman died and five cattle perished,” Resident Deputy Collector Rajesh Khawale said.

“Hundreds of houses damaged while traffic movements on main roads disrupted due to the big trees uprooted and fallen on the roads on several places across the district. We have ordered a thorough survey of damages and the respective tehsildars and SDOs have started the survey and the report is awaited,” he said.

The woman, whose house collapsed killing her on the spot, was identified as Tulsabai Laxman Waghade, a resident of village Kondjayi in Ghatanji tehsil.

In Akola Bazar village in Yavatmal tehsil, four houses were partially damaged, whereas over eight houses were damaged in Pimpalshenda and Dhoki villages.

More than 18 villages in Arni tehsil in Yavatmal have been hard hit due to the unseasonal rain and a number of houses in these villages were damaged. Hail storm has also been reported from a number of villages.

Unseasonal rains also lashed parts of Nashik district, including Malegaon and Dhule and Chalisgaon towns in north Maharashtra towns last evening.

The woman who was killed in lightning strike was identified as Sangitabai Shinde (26), a resident of Behad in dhule district, officials said.