56 die in lightning strikes in Bangladesh in two days

At least 56 people have been killed in lightning strikes in different districts in two days as rain has been lashing several parts of the country after a spell of heat waves.

Police said 23 people died in Dhaka, Chittagong, Rajbarhi, Joypurhat, Naogaon, Gaibandha, Narhail, Sunamganj, Chandpur, Magura, Kishoreganj, Gazipur and Jessore districts on Friday.

At least 33 people were killed in similar incidents in 12 different districts on Thursday.

On Friday, Rajbarhi experienced most deaths – three. One person died in Goalanda Upazila and two others in Kalukhali.

A youth died at Savar in Dhaka while shifting a pile of hay. A teenage boy at Dhamrai died while playing football.

In Chittagong’s Paharhtoli, a 25-year-old youth died after being struck by lightning while he was out in a field near his home. A schoolboy died in Patenga while playing cricket.

In Joypurhat, two farm workers died while working in the field at Sadar and Khetlal Upazilas. A man and a woman were also injured. The man was released after primary treatment, but the woman was admitted to the Joypurhat Modern Hospital.

A teenage boy died while collecting mangoes during storm at Porsha in Naogaon. A farmer died in the field in Mohadebpur.

Two farmers died in Gaibandha Sadar. One of them was cutting Boro crop in the field in Lakkhipur while the other was feeding his cow in a field next to his house in Sahaparha when they were struck by lightning.

In Sunamganj, a 30-year-old youth died when he was out for work at a Haor (swamp) in Jagannathpur Upazila.

A 9-year-old boy died after getting struck by lightning in the same Upazila while he was cutting paddy with his father in a field.

A woman and a teenage boy of a same family in Narhail’s Lohagorha died when they went out to drive cattle back home from a field.

One person died at Itna Upazila and another at Tarhail Upazila in Kishoreganj.

In Chandpur, a boatman died after being hit by bolt when he was on board a cargo vessel in the Meghna River. Another boatman, who was on the same vessel, and another on a nearby trawler were injured.

A youth in Magura’s Sadar Upazila died on a street next to his house.

A man died in Jessore Sadar Upazila while his wife sustained injuries when they went out to bring their cattle back. Another woman in Jessore town was injured when a bolt struck a house.

A 60-year-old person died in Kaliakoir of Gazipur while collecting mangoes during a storm.