Anantapur city, known for its moderate rainfall even during the peak monsoon, was hit by an unexpected thunderstorm on Friday night, leaving residents in a state of panic. The storm, accompanied by intense lightning, lasted for more than two hours and brought 62 mm of rainfall in this short period. The sudden downpour caused power outages across the city, with normalcy only being restored around midnight.
The heavy rainfall created havoc, especially for commuters on the Vidyuth Nagar-Aravinda Nagar road, where they narrowly escaped a potential disaster when lightning struck an electric pole. Pandurangachar, a long-time resident of Housing Board, remarked that he had never witnessed such a lightning storm in the past five decades of living in Anantapur.
In nearby areas, B.K. Samudram mandal recorded 51 mm of rainfall, followed by Garladinne at 46 mm, while Rapthadu mandal received only 8 mm. Officials noted that if Rapthadu had experienced heavier rainfall, major parts of Anantapur city would have likely faced severe flooding. Deputy Mayor K. Vijayabhaskar Reddy commented that this was the first time he had witnessed such intense lightning in Anantapur headquarters, adding to the severity of the event.
The storm served as a stark reminder of the unpredictability of weather patterns, and authorities are now urging citizens to be cautious during the ongoing rainy season, especially with the possibility of more storms in the forecast.
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