At least six people lost their lives in a series of rain-related incidents following heat-induced storms that swept through parts of the combined Krishna district on Thursday night. The severe weather, characterized by heavy rain and gale-force winds, caused widespread damage in Vijayawada and surrounding areas.
Vijayawada Hit by Flooding and Power Disruptions
In Vijayawada, roads were inundated as heavy rain coupled with strong winds lashed several areas. The storm uprooted trees, electric poles, and hoardings, briefly disrupting power supply in the city. The downpour led to waterlogging on major roads, causing traffic snarls and inconvenience to residents.
Electrocution Claims Lives
In a tragic incident, a 42-year-old home guard named Jani was electrocuted after stepping on a high-tension wire that had snapped and fallen onto the road near Kothapeta police station. Jani was returning home with his family in his auto-rickshaw after having dinner at Panja Centre. He stopped by the roadside after his vehicle broke down and inadvertently came into contact with the live wire.
In another incident, a five-year-old girl, Challa Madhavi, lost her life after accidentally touching an exposed power meter box at Block 224 in YSR Jakkampudi Colony. She was the daughter of Challa Yasubabu and Naga Lakshmi, residents of Block 240 in the colony.
A 19-year-old youth, Pandali Surya Prakash, was electrocuted after coming into contact with a generator wire at a biryani stall at Eat Street near the Indira Gandhi Municipal Corporation (IGMC) stadium in the city.
Tree Fall Kills Two Youths in Krishna District
In Krishna district, two youths died after a palm tree fell on their motorcycle at Kummari Palem village under the Koduru police station limits. The victims, Garikapati Manohar (29) and Chuturi Sivaramakrishna, had gone to the village outskirts to relieve themselves in the fields. While returning home, strong winds caused the tree to fall on their bike. One of them died on the spot, while the other succumbed to injuries while being shifted to a nearby hospital.
Intermediate Student Dies Due to Snapped Wire
An Intermediate student lost her life after coming into contact with a low-tension (LT) wire that had snapped when trees fell on power lines at Lankapalli village in Ghantasala mandal.
Officials Blame Lack of Safety Measures
APCPDCL Vijayawada circle superintending engineer U Hanumaiah blamed Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) officials for failing to ensure proper covering of electricity meter boxes in the colony. Regarding the home guard's death, the official stated that the victim had mistaken the high-tension wire for a non-electrical cable and stepped on it.
