10 die as rains, hailstorm wreak havoc in S. India

NEW DELHI, May 4 (Xinhua) -- At least 10 people have died due to heavy rains and hailstorm in southern Indian states Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, officials said Friday.

"Heavy rains and hailstorms lashed the two neighboring states Thursday. While six people died due to lightning strikes in Telangana, four lost their lives in Andhra Pradesh," a disaster management official said.

According to the official, the rains and hailstorms wreaked havoc in several parts of both states, uprooting a number of trees and electricity poles and flooding several low-lying areas.

"Several trees and power poles were uprooted, thus disrupting traffic movement across the two states and electricity supply was severely affected too. We are trying to restore power and clear the roads of the trees," the official said.

"Disaster management teams are assessing the damage in both states," he added.

Lightning strikes are common in India, particularly during the monsoon rains. Several people are killed every year due to lightning strikes across the country. Enditem