Lightning strikes kill 11 in six Bangladesh districts

Lightning strike

Dhaka, Apr 28  - Eleven people were killed and three others were injured by lightning strikes in Cumilla, Chandpur, Shariatpur, Habiganj, Netrakona and Kishoreganj districts on Monday. 

Among the deceased, four were killed in Cumilla, three in Kishoreganj and one each in Shariatpur, Habiganj, Chandpur and Netrakona district. 

In Cumilla, four people, including two schoolboys, were killed by lightning in Barura and Muradnagar upazilas. 

Witnesses said Fahad Hossain, 13, son of Khokon Mia of Poyalgaccha village and Saimon Hossain, 13, son of Abdul Barek, were killed when a streak of thunderbolt struck them while flying kites at noon in Barura upazila of the district.

Both of them were class VI students of Boroharipur High School.

In another incident, Nikhil Debnath, 64 and Jewel Bhuiyan, 30, son of Jashim Uddin Bhuiyan, were killed by lightning while working at their paddy fields at Korbanpur Purbapara in Muradnagar upazila of Cumilla district in the morning. 

In Kishoreganj, three people were killed as lightning struck them in different places. 

Witnesses said Fulesa Begum, 65, wife of Asrab Ali of Raniganj Kewarjor in Mithamoin upazila was killed by a thunderbolt while working outside her house at Shantiganj Haor around 8 am. 

Besides, Indrajit Das, 36, son of Jatindra Das of Halalpur village, was killed when a thunderbolt struck him while working at a paddy field at Halalpur haor amid rain in the morning. 

Meanwhile, Swadhin Mia, 14, son of Idris Mia of Khayerpur village in Astagram upazila was killed when a streak of thunderbolt struck him while cutting paddy at Khayerpur haor, said Ruhul Amin, officer-in-charge of Austagram Police Station. 

In Chandpur, Bishakha Rani Sarkar, 35, wife of Haripodo Sarkar of Nahara village in Kachua upazila of Chandpur district, died during rain coupled with thundershowers while collecting paddy from the field. 

Sohel Rana, Kachua Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer, said Bishakha might have died after being panicked by the lightning strike. 

In Shariatpur, Shefali Begum, 35, wife of Sorhab Bepari of Bepari Kandi village in Bhedarganj upazila of the district, was killed when a thunderbolt struck her while she along with her husband were returning to home after collecting grass amid rain in Shakhipur area of the upazila. 

She was taken to Bhedarganj Upazila Health Complex where the doctors declared her dead. 

In Habiganj, Durbas Das, 35, were killed and three others were injured in separate incidents of lightning strike in Baniachang upazila of the district.

The injured were taken to Sylher MAG Osmani Medical College and Hospital, said Azadur Rahman, District Relief and Disaster Management officer. 

In Netrakona, Arafat, 10, a Madrasha student and son of Abdus Salam of Triosree in Madanpur upazila of the district was killed when a thunderbolt struck on him while going to the Madrasha after fazar prayer in the morning, said Motahar Hossain, member of Triosree Union of the upazila. - UNB