Lightning kills 7, injures 55 in Naogaon

At least seven people have died and 55 others injured in lightning strikes across Naogaon district.

Naogaon Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 30 May 2014, 04:00 AM
Updated : 30 May 2014, 08:10 PM

Around 7:30am Friday morning, lightning struck Saraswatipur Haat, a local market in Mahadebpur Upazila, instantaneously killing four people and another on the way to hospital.

At least 55 others were injured. Most of them have been admitted to Mahadebpur Health Complex, Naogaon Sadar Hospital and Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.

Another person was killed by lightning in Porsha and one in Nyamatpur.

Mahadebpur police OC Enaetuddin said people braved drizzle and started thronging the market, where paddy is mainly traded, from around 6am, with Friday being a market day.

When a heavy shower began, people took shelter in a veterinary hospital nearby, where the lightning struck.

Most of the victims are farmers, traders and tri-cycle drivers, according to locals.

Porsha Police Station OC Shafiul Azam said a housewife was killed in her home by lightning in the morning.

Nyamatpur Police Station OC Shamsul Alam said an elderly man died in his home in the morning when lightning struck.

Naogaon Deputy Commissioner Enamul Haque said the families of the victims in Saraswatipur Haat had been given Tk 20,000 each and 33 injured people had been given Tk 10,000 from the disaster management ministry’s fund.

The rest of the injured would be compensated later, he said.