Three workers killed as thunderstorms, gusty winds lash parts of Andhra Pradesh

Visakhapatnam: At least three people died in separate incidents after thunderstorms and gusty winds lashed Anakapalle district on Saturday.In the first incident, two workers died on the spot after a coconut tree fell on them while they were collecting betel leaves at Satyavaram village in Payakaraopeta mandal. Similarly, another worker died at Nakkapalle in the district.Additionally, two women were injured when asbestos sheets fell on them at Mukundharajupeta in Anakapalle district. In another incident, passengers of a car had a narrow escape after a branch fell on the vehicle, near Tuni in Kakinada district.Rain and gale uprooted trees and electric poles, and damaged standing banana and mango crops in Anakapalle and Kakinada districts on Saturday. Thunderstorms lashed several regions of the state on Friday night and Saturday evening, easing heatwave conditions in many areas. However, a few locations continued to record high temperatures.According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Jangamaheswarapuram in Palnadu district recorded the highest temperature of 45.2°C, followed by Nandigama at 43.8°C, and 43.6°C each in Gannavaram and Amaravati. Tuni recorded 42.2°C, Bapatla 41.9°C, and Ongole 41.3°C.The IMD said Jangamaheswarapuram, Nandigama, Gannavaram, and Amaravati experienced heatwave-like conditions on Saturday. IMD-Amaravati scientist S Karunasagar said parts of Kurnool, Nandyal, Prakasam, Srikakulam, Anakapalle, ASR, Kakinada, and Vizianagaram districts witnessed thunderstorms accompanied by lightning.The weather department has forecasted hot and humid conditions at isolated places in coastal districts for the next two days, with minimum temperatures likely to remain 2-4°C above normal.Meanwhile, the southwest monsoon advanced further into parts of the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, and the Andaman Sea on Saturday. Meteorologists said a trough extending from southwest Bihar to north coastal Andhra Pradesh, along with upper-air cyclonic circulations over the Bay of Bengal and Rayalaseema region, may trigger rainfall activity in parts of AP in the coming days.