Unseasonal showers claim 4 lives
At many places, trees were uprooted by gusty winds, while the mango and onion crops were also damaged, said officials.
Mumbai: The northern and western parts of Maharashtra witnessed unseasonal rain over the last 24 hours, according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). In Mumbai too, there were light showers Sunday night, which the IMD attributed to high temperature during the last week. Amid this, four persons were reported to have died when lightning struck them in two separate incidents in the Nashik district.
According to the IMD, there is a cyclonic circulation over west Rajasthan, from which a trough is extending towards south madhya Maharashtra across the Gujarat region.
“Since the last few days, there were indications of weather activities suitable for rain over Maharashtra. While there were light showers in the western suburbs of Mumbai, other parts of Maharashtra like Dhule, Nandurbar, Satara and Sangli, too, witnessed unseasonal rainfall accompanied by gusty winds and lightning,” said an IMD official.
Due to these weather systems, it is expected that the rain might pick up pace in Maharashtra, and Mumbai, too, might see scattered, light to moderate rain and thundershower activities on April 15-16, according to a report by Skymet Weather, a private weather forecast agency.
These activities could be accompanied by squally winds and lightning strikes. During the last two weeks, the Vidarbha and Marathwada regions also received showers.
Meanwhile, three men died when they were struck by lightning while standing under a tree in Manori village, Dindori taluka, Nashik.
The deceased have been identified as Sagar Gave (19), Anil Gave (32), and Rohit Gaikwad (18), a local police official said. Moreover, Janabai Giri, a 40-year-old woman died in the Chandwad taluka Sunday night.
According to reports, three cows and a buffalo, too, died when they were struck by thunderbolts in the Yeola and Nashik talukas as unseasonal rain lashed the north Maharashtra district.
At many places, trees were uprooted by gusty winds, while the mango and onion crops were also damaged, said officials.
The IMD had earlier issued a warning about thunderstorm along with lightning that are likely to take place over Madhya Maharashtra. These areas include Thane, Palghar and Pune along with Marathwada and Vidarbha.