MUMBAI, Aug. 29 -- Heavy rains over the past 24 hours have wreaked havoc across large parts of Maharashtra, claiming eight lives and leaving one person missing. The downpour has disrupted normal life in Marathwada, Vidarbha, and other regions, triggering floods, lightning strikes, crop losses and widespread damage. According to the State Disaster Control Room, lightning strikes accounted for most of the casualties: four people died in Nagpur, one in Yavatmal, one in Nashik, and two in Nanded. In Beed district, two people drowned in floodwaters, while another person is reported missing. Flooding has hit several villages in Deglur and Kandhar tehsils of Nanded district, forcing the authorities and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) to shift nearly 1,500 residents to safer places. "Our teams evacuated people from affected villages and moved them to temporary shelters. Rescue and search operations are still underway," said an official from the Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar divisional office. Elsewhere, SDRF teams in Gadchiroli rescued a pregnant woman from Hinjewada village and admitted her to a hospital in Bhamragad. The deluge has also taken a toll on livestock, with eight cattle reported dead in Jalna district and another six killed by lightning in different parts of the state. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Satara, Pune and Kolhapur districts, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall over the next 24 hours. Several rivers across the state are flowing above the warning mark, submerging nearby farmlands and residential areas. Farmers now face another crisis, as floodwaters have damaged large swathes of kharif crops just when they were expecting a good yield. The loss of standing crops could hit already strained rural households hard, particularly in Marathwada and Vidarbha, which are among the state's most drought-prone and economically vulnerable regions. Officials said the situation is being closely monitored and more evacuation measures will be undertaken if water levels continue to rise. Relief teams have been placed on standby in multiple districts....