Thunderbolt kills 10 , injures over 20 in Prayagraj

PRAYAGRAJ: Lightning strikes claimed 10 lives in different areas of Prayagraj, Kaushambi and Pratapgarh districts on Tuesday. The dead included women and a teenage girl. Police sent the bodies for postmortem examination while administrative officials reached the spots and urged villagers to follow the guidelines to remain safe during rain.

Three people, including a teenage girl, died in Baghrai, Lalganj and Patti areas of Pratapgarh district due to lightning strike. Bhagwati Devi (62) of Tiwaripur in Baghrai was in the fields when lightning struck her. Ramraj Verma (57) of Bhatpurwa in Lalganj was also in the fields when he died following a lightning strike. A resident of Pahada village in Patti area, Sejal (13) was outside her house when she died of lightning strike. In another incident at Dohri village of Kandhai, 14 goats also died due to lightning strike.

Three,including a 12-year-old boy,died of lightning strike in Kaushambi. A woman and her son died while 20 women labourers received burns in lightning strike at Lodhan Ka Purwa and Dhawada villages in Pashchim Sharira area. Madhuri Devi and her 12-year-old son Shivakant, along with other women, were working in the fields at Lodhan Ka Purwa village when it started raining in the afternoon. The women took shelter under a tree when lightning struck them. Madhuri and her son died while other women were injured. In another incident at Dhawada village, Urmila Devi (40) died while some other women received burns in lightning strike. All injured were admitted to the hospitals.

Meanwhile, four people died of lightning strike in separate areas of trans-Ganga. Resident of Sarsaban village of Soraon, Vinita Devi (30) , Sumitra and her seven-month-old son were sitting outside their home when lightning struck them. Vinita Devi died while Sumitra and her son received serious burns. They were admitted to the hospital.

Resident of Jaraon village of Handia, Nageshwar Bind (46) was working in his paddy fields when he died following a lightning strike. In Baraut area, a woman and a teenage girl died of lightning strike. Resident of Mishri village Suman (40) and 17-year-old Shweta Kumari were working in the fields when lightning struck them. The duo died on the spot. Another person Motilal Bind (50) was injured in lightning strike at Chhidi village of Baraut area.