5 killed as rain, thunderstorm batter Gujarat

Several parts of central Gujarat were lashed by rain and thunderstorms on Friday, killing five people, four of them after being struck by lightning.

The overcast skies suddenly opened up in the afternoon with heavy winds, rainfall and hail showers too at many places.

Lightning struck in Dahod and Garbada talukas in the district, leaving two persons dead and Dahod and Garbada talukas in the district leaving two persons dead as well as two others injured.

Three persons staying in the Tunkivaju village of Garbada taluka suffered serious injuries when lightning struck their house.

A man named Manu Kharadu (70) died and two others were hospitalized. treatment. The second person to die was a woman Gendi Mavi (57) from Borkheda village of Dahod district.

In Abhlod village of Garbada, a tree crashed on a man named Ishwar Mandod, leaving him dead on the spot. Cattle were also killed due to lightning in the Galaiawad, Varamkheda and Kalitalai villages.

In the adjoining Panchmahal district, rainfall was reported in the Godhra and Ghoghamba talukas.

In north Gujarat, torrential rain with strong winds lashed Aravalli district. 

A man, identified as Sangaji Rabari, died after being struck by lightning in Bhiloda taluka's Budharli village.

The unseasonal rain and hail storms have left farmers worried. Many of them posted pictures of weather-beaten farms and crops, mostly wheat, ready for harvesting getting damaged.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) bulletin stated that an induced cyclonic circulation over Rajasthan and Kutch was resulting in the wet weather which is expected to prevail for three more days.