Hyderabad, April 19 -- Heavy rains lashed the city's outskirts on Friday, causing a four-hour traffic jam on the Srisailam highway between Thumulur and Kandukur. The heavy rain, coupled with lightning and gusty winds, caused a few trees to fall on the highway which the police had to clear to free up traffic.

Rains with thunderstorms and strong winds also lashed several parts of Siddipet, Nizamabad, Kamareddy, and Sangareddy districts; rendering the paddy brought by the farmers to paddy procurement centers (PPC) wet.

In Somarampet, Ratnagiripally, Nemaligutta thanda, and Banjepally villages of Kamareddy district, hailstorms damaged standing crops like paddy and maize, and the paddy brought to PPCs turned wet.

Similar crop losses were se...