Bhawanipatna: A thunderstorm claimed the life of a person and disrupted power supply besides damaging crops on large tracts of farmland in Jaypatna block in Kalahandi district, Saturday.
The deceased was identified as Balabhadra Rout, 55, of Khairabhadi village under Ujjula panchayat. A bullock was also killed during the storm.
Thatched roofs on several houses were blown away while residents in six panchayats under the block have been affected. All the computers in a Jan Seva Kendra were damaged after the house from where it was functioning collapsed during the calamity.
The hailstorm and rain which lasted for over an hour submerged the standing paddy crops and damaged mango trees and banana plantations.
Power supply was also disrupted as a large number of electricity poles were either uprooted or trees fell on the transmission and service wires.
Traffic in the area was disrupted as large uprooted trees blocked the roads. Volunteers, police and fire brigade personnel swung into action and started clearing the roads Sunday.
Electricity department officials said it will take at least two days to restore power supply.
PNN
