Lightning kills 8 in 5 districts

Eight men were killed by lightning in Chuadanga, Jhenaidah, Bagerhat, Gaibandha, and Chapainawabganj on Saturday.

At least 18 others were also injured in separate lightning strikes in the districts.

Most of the victims were farmers.

In neighbouring West Bengal, lightning killed at least six people and injured a dozen others on Saturday, reports IANS.

In Jhenaidah, two other farmers -- Saidur Rahman, 23, and Aynal Molla, 40 -- died while working in the field in Maheshpur and Kotchandpur Upazila.

Apart from them, eight others have been reportedly injured in lightning in Shailkupa, Maheshpur and Harinakundu Upazila.

Three of the injured have been hospitalised.

Two men were killed by lightning in Chuadanga’s Damurhuda and Jibonnagar Upazilas and at least 10 injured.

Police identified the deceased as Mandar Ali, 45, a farmer from Damurhuda, and 22-year-old Sadek Ali from Jibonnagar.

Jibonnagar police Sub-Inspector Dulal Uddin said altogether 10 people had been injured in lightning strikes in the area.

In Bagerhat’s Chitalmari Upazila, 45-year-old farmer Akram Sheikh died while working in his field.

Forty-year-old housewife Amena Begum was struck by lightning while working in her house courtyard in Gaibandha’s Sadar Upazila.

Two others -- Anisur Rahman, 55, and Monirul Islam, 35 -- from Chapainawabganj’s Shibganj Upazila also died when struck by lightning, police said.

On Friday, seven people were killed by lightning in Naogaon.

IANS says in West Bengal, three people were killed in Hariharpara, two in Murshidabad district, and one person lost his life in Burdwan district after they were struck by lightning.