Lightning strikes kill 58, mostly farmers, in a week in Bangladesh

The death toll in lightning strikes across Bangladesh in a week has hit 58, with eight more killed on Friday.

bdnews24.com correspondents reported the deaths in Jamalpur, Gaibandha, Habiganj, Narsinghdi and Narayanganj districts, citing officials of local administration or police station or public representatives.

Like previous days, most of the victims were agricultural workers, harvesting or carrying paddy during storms when they were struck by lightning bolts.

A 12-year-old schoolgirl died while fetching mangoes during storm in Jamalpur town.

In Habiganj, a farmer died while carrying harvested paddy at Baniachong Upazila.

Another farmer died at Bahubal Upazila while harvesting paddy. Two others were also injured.

A woman was killed by lightning strike while collecting hay at Chunarughat Upazila.

A 15-year-old male madrasa student was killed while returning home on an engine-run trolley with his father at Mithamoin Upazila in Kishoreganj.

A college student died in Narayanganj’s Arhaihajar while carrying paddy home.

At Saghata Upazila in Gaibandha, a teenaged boy died while working at the backyard of his home.

An agricultural worker died while harvesting paddy in Narsinghdi’s Madhabdi Upazila.

In the last two days of April, as many as 33 people died as freak storms that swept across the country. They were among 70 killed in past two months.

The lightning strike death tolls on Tuesday and Thursday were 10 and seven respectively.