Maharashtra’s Marathwada region experienced rainfall after a long dry spell, officials said on Friday.
Thirty-one revenue circles across five districts recorded more than 65 mm in a single day. The highest precipitation, 126 mm, was measured in Zari circle of Parbhani district, followed by Sirsala circle in Beed district with 112.5 mm and Pedgaon in Parbhani with 111.5 mm.
Lightning strikes in rural parts of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district caused five deaths. In Wahulkheda village a tree struck by lightning killed Hamida Sayyed (40), Tasleem Sayyed (39) and Almira Sayyed (17) while they were sheltering from the rain; three others were injured. In Dahigaon, a couple—farmer Manohar Dudhe (60) and his wife Parvatabai—were killed when lightning hit the hut they were inside, and their son was injured.
All eight districts of Marathwada received average rainfall ranging from 5.4 mm to 41.8 mm on Thursday, a modest amount following the prolonged dry spell.
The monsoon season expects 679.5 mm of rainfall in the region; so far 423.3 mm has fallen, representing 62.3 % of the target and leaving a 37.3 % deficit. Rainfall exceeding 65 mm was recorded in 31 revenue circles across Beed, Latur, Nanded, Parbhani and Hingoli districts.
