A house near Udumalpet in Tirupur district was struck by lightning during a heavy thunderstorm, causing damage to household appliances and cash worth Rs 2 lakh. The incident occurred around 11 PM, sparing the family who were away.
Tirupur: Heavy thunderstorms lashed the Uralpatti village in Aandiyagoundanur Panchayat near Udumalpet, Tirupur district, on Tuesday evening. Around 11 PM, lightning struck the cement-roofed house of Subramani (52), causing extensive damage to household items.
The lightning strike resulted in the destruction of a refrigerator, grinder, washing machine, television, and Rs 10,000 in cash. All these items were reduced to ashes, with the total loss estimated at Rs 2 lakh.
Fortunately, a tragedy was averted as Subramani was away for work, and his wife Vallinayagam (45) was staying at a nearby house with their daughter and grandchild.
Mohanvalli Rajasekharan, the Aandiyagoundanur Panchayat President, visited the affected area and informed the Revenue Department, requesting relief measures for the family.
Vallinayagam, recounting the incident, said, "It had been raining heavily throughout the day. Around 11 PM, we heard a loud noise. Soon after, smoke was seen coming from our house, and neighbors alerted us about a fire." Upon inspection, they realized that lightning had struck the house, causing an electrical accident that burned all their belongings.
"We don't even have utensils to cook now. We request the Revenue Department to conduct an assessment and provide relief," Vallinayagam added, highlighting the family's dire situation following the incident.
The local authorities are expected to survey the damage and consider appropriate compensation for the affected family.