Four people including a teenager died and another person sustained injuries after being struck by lightning in Magura, Joypurhat and Nagaon districts, reports UNB citing police statement on Friday.
In Magura, 35-year-old Md Jannu Mollah, a farmer from Satyabanpur village in Sadar upazila, was killed on Thursday afternoon. A thunderbolt struck him while he was cutting paddy on a field near his house.
Officer-in-charge Nasir Uddin of Magura Sadar Police Station said that an unnatural death case was registered over the incident.
In Joypurhat’s Kalai upazila, 13-year-old Hridoy, son of Rabiul Islam of Shreepur village was killed by lightning.
According to sources in Kalai Upazila Health Complex, to escape rain he was standing under a eucalyptus tree near his house when lightning suddenly struck him.
In Naogaon's Porsha upazila, two farmers -- Sayem Ali, 40, and Nur Mohammad Nooh, 55 -- were killed by a bolt of lightning while they were harvesting paddy in the field on Friday morning.
Meanwhile, 50-year-old Jahanara Begum of Nitpur Bangalpara village was severely injured after being struck by lightning when she was on her way to a field.
She was later admitted to Porsha Upazila Health Complex, said locals.
Porsha police station officer-in- charge Zahurul Haque said the bodies of the deceased were handed over to their families.
Porsha upazila nirbahi officer Nazmul Hamid Reza said the families of those killed and injured in a natural calamity "are given financial assistance by the government".
Each of the affected families has been given Tk 20,000 by the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, he said.
Lightning strikes in Bangladesh
Lightning strike has turned into one of the deadliest natural disasters in Bangladesh claiming over 200 lives every year due to the loss of natural defense and lack of precautionary measures.
According to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief,Two,164 people died in lightning strikes in the country from 2011 to 2020. At least 216 people die every year on average in lightning strikes, more than by floods, cyclones and other natural calamities.
Experts said about 70% of the total lightning strikes usually occur between April and June and advise everyone to move with caution during this time.
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