At least 8 people were killed in rain-related accidents in Andhra Pradesh as heavy rains threw normal life out of gear. Kurnool district alone saw 3 deaths, while Guntur, Prakasam, Ongole and Anantapur saw one death each.

Heavy rains and winds wreaked havoc, uprooting trees and electricity poles, inundating low-lying areas, affecting vehicular movement.

The AP State Disaster Management Department and the Revenue Department pressed emergency services into action in a bid to control the damage.

According to Met Department officials, the rains were triggered by cyclonic circulation over north Odisha and its neighbourhood, and another cyclonic circulation over West Vidarbha and its neighbourhood.

Officials have predicted that isolated thunderstorms accompanied by squalls and hail could be witnessed in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh on Friday too.

Electricity was severely affected in Prakasam, Krishna, Nellore and Visakhapatnam.

Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam and Vizianagaram in north coastal Andhra recorded rain on Thursday too. Several areas of south coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions regions saw record rainfall.

Several houses were inundated in Visakhapatnam, and services had to be stopped in the railway station as it was flooded.

In Kurnool, several acres of agricultural land and many properties were burnt down due to lightning. In Vijayawada and Guntur, the flooding caused by the rains damaged several vehicles.

The heavy rains also destroyed the famed mango crop in districts of coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema, such as Krishna, Guntur, East and West Godavari.

Prakasam district recorded rainfall of 115 mm, Nellore saw 105 mm, Anantapur saw 100 mm and Visakhapatnam saw 90 mm of rain, said officials.