Eleven killed by lightning in Jharkhand, a dozen injured

Lightning killed at least 11 people while thunderstorms left over a dozen others injured in the past 24 hours in Jharkhand, taking the weather-related toll to 18 this month in the state, officials said on Monday.

High-velocity wind lashed parts of the state, including capital Ranchi, on Sunday evening and a series of thunderstorms uprooted dozens of trees, electricity poles and blew off asbestos rooftop of several houses in nearby villages. Two deaths were reported from Ranchi’s Khalari area, two from Giridih, one each from Ramgarh, Hazaribag, Koderma and Lohardaga between Sunday afternoon and midnight. In Khalari, the deceased were identified as Bittu Turi and Rahul Turi, who had come to see a religious function at Chaingarha in Khalari on Sunday. Eyewitnesses said they were standing under a tree after the function when lightning struck.

Three more deaths were reported from Chatra district where lightning struck six members of a family at Harhat village. Three people, identified as Phuldeo Ganjhu, 18, Raman Ganjhu, 14, and Panua, 14, died on the spot while three others injured were admitted to the Chatra Sadar hospital.

The Ranchi centre of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that sudden development of thunderstorms would continue till the monsoon hits Jharkhand around June 12.

“Due to availability of ample moisture in the atmosphere, premonsoon thunder cells will be forming leading to intermittent thunderstorm and heavy rains in parts of Jharkhand,” said BK Mandal, director at the centre.

Thunder cell is a kind of cloud that ushers in thunderstorms and lightning at relatively low height.

According to state disaster management authority (SDMA), nearly 1,800 people have been killed by lightning in the last 12 years.

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