Lightning damages temple, kills 20 birds

TIRUCHY: In a tragic incident, around 20 birds were killed and the gopuram (tower) of the temple was damaged in lightning strike in Karur during the wee hours of Tuesday.

Sources said, there was heavy rain across Karur from Monday evening that lasted till early hours on Tuesday.

According to meteorological department, Panchampatti recorded the highest rainfall of 120 mm during the period followed by Mylampatti 80 mm, Kulithalai 60 mm, Karur town 49 mm, Balaviduthi 37.1 mm, Kadavur 26 mm, K-Paramathi 22 mm and Mayanur 21 mm.

Around 2 am on Tuesday, during the rains, lightning struck the Vinayagar Temple at Veeranampatti in which the temple tower and the idols of Vinayagar and Nandi were damaged. A peepal tree adjacent to the temple also felt the impact of the lightning due to which birds that were resting in their nests were charred to death. Fortunately, there was no loss of human lives or cattle in the area.

Meanwhile, rainwater entered agricultural lands at Vennaimalai village near Karur-Salem national highway. Pannapatti, Palanichettiyur and Udayapatti were marooned and crops like ladiesfinger, chillies and others submerged.