Lightning strikes claim 7 lives in 4 districts

At least seven people died and nine others were injured in lightning strikes in Rangamati, Sylhet, Khagrachhari, and Cox's Bazar districts today. In Rangamati, three people died and seven others were injured in the morning. The deceased are Najir Ahmed, 50, of Sylheti Para in Rangamati town, Baharjan Begum, 55, of Baghaichhari upazila, and Tripura Grihini, 37 of Sajek. Dr Shawkat Akbar Khan, resident medical officer of Rangamati General Hospital, said Najir Ahmed died on the spot when a thunderbolt struck him while he was fishing at Kaptai Lake. Meanwhile, Baharjan was killed by lightning while bringing his cattle home during a thunderstorm, said Jasmin Chakma, chairman of Rupkari union. On the other hand, Tripura Grihini was killed when a thunderbolt hit her while she was working in her yard in Sajek's Longthianpara. In Cox's Bazar, two workers died at Chhari Para in Pekua upazila early today. The deceased are Didarul Islam, 35, and Md Arman, 25, of the upazila. Yunus Chowdhury, chairman of Magnama union parishad, said Didar died on the spot when a thunderbolt struck him while he was working at a salt field in Kodailladiya area early in the morning. Meanwhile, Arman was struck by lightning and died on the spot when he was working on a field early in the morning, said Rajakhali UP Chairman Nazrul Islam Shikdar. In Khagrachhari, a schoolboy was struck by lightning while picking fallen mangoes during a thunderstorm at Matiranga upazila this morning. The deceased is Yeasin Arfat of the upazila's Ibrahim Para, said Matiranga Upazila Nirbahi Officer Daisy Chakraborty. In Sylhet, a farmer died and two others were injured while they were harvesting boro paddy at Dighirpara East union of Kanaighat upazila in the afternoon. The deceased is Babul Ahmed, 48, said Abdul Mumin Chowdhury, chairman of Dighirpara East union. Lightning strikes kill 250 people on average every year in the country, according to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department.
Published on: 2024-05-02 16:23:16.002229 +0200 CEST