Lightning Strikes

Lightning strikes killed 177 people across the country in four months

Dhaka, June 12: The information was presented at a press conference organized by the social organization Save the Society and Thunderstorm Awareness Forum-SSTAF on Friday (June 11). The press conference was held at the central office of the organization at Purana Paltan in the capital.

Sirajganj has been identified as the new hotspot for lightning strikes casualties. In May and June this year, 18 people lost their lives in this district. Besides, 16 people have died in Chapainawabganj, 14 in Jamalpur, 13 in Netrokona and 10 in Chittagong in the first four months of this year.

At a press conference, the SSTAF said that 149 men and 28 women were killed in lightning strikes between March and June this year. Among them were 13 children, six teenage boys and three teenage girls. Besides death, 47 people were injured in the lightning strike. Among them are 40 men and seven women.

According to the organisation, in the last 4 months, 122 people have been killed by lightning while doing agriculture. Fifteen people died in a lightning strike while picking mangoes. While staying at home, 10 people died due to lightning. Besides, six people died while fishing in the boat, five people while fetching cows in the field, three people while playing in the field, six people in the yard of their residence, two people while driving the vehicles and one person while sitting inside the vehicle.

It was informed at the press conference that although there were no casualties due to lightning strikes in January and February this year, the death toll started in late March. In the first week of June, 65 people died.