Lightning strikes kill 27 during India monsoon storm

Lightning strikes killed 27 people and four passengers on a flight were hospitalised after severe turbulence during monsoon storms in eastern India, officials said Tuesday.

Lightning strikes during the June-September annual monsoon are fairly common in India.

Officials said West Bengal was hit by thunderstorms late Monday, with lightning strikes in parts of the state.

"Many of the 27 killed on Monday evening... in the state were farmers and working in the fields," West Bengal disaster management minister Javed Ahmed Khan told AFP.

A flight from the western city of Mumbai to Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal, was caught in the storm as it was about to land, officials added.

Eight passengers were injured with four taken to hospital.

"One passenger is still admitted in the hospital. The others have been discharged," the airport's director C. Pattabhi told AFP.

"It was a close shave for the passengers."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced financial compensation for the families of the victims and those who were injured.

Nearly 2,900 people were killed by lightning in India in 2019 according to the National Crime Records Bureau -- the most recent figures available.

The monsoon is crucial to replenishing water supplies in South Asia, but also causes widespread death and destruction across the region each year.

Related Links
Weather News at TerraDaily.com

Tweet

Thanks for being there;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.

SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5+ Billed Monthly

paypal only

SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once

credit card or paypal

Lightning kills antelopes, elephants; As tornadoes strike kill 12 people in China
Beijing (AFP) May 15, 2021
Two tornadoes that struck central and eastern China killed at least 12 people and injured more than 400, authorities said Saturday. Violent winds of more than 260 kilometres per hour (160 miles per hour) blasted the central city of Wuhan on Friday night. Eight people died and more than 280 were injured there, authorities said, adding that around 30 homes had collapsed. Vehicles were crushed by falling objects, trees uprooted, buildings partially destroyed and electricity pylons felled, leavi ... read more