At least 38 people have been killed in separate incidents of lightning strikes across Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday amid heavy rains that have triggered flooding, throwing normal life out of gear.
With 11 deaths, Pratapgarh accounted for the most number of casualties. Seven deaths were reported from Sultanpur, six in Chandauli, five in Mainpuri, four in Prayagraj, and one each in Auraiya, Deoria, Hathras, Varanasi and Siddharthnagar.
In Pratapgarh district, deaths were reported from Sangramgarh, Jethwara, Antoo, Manikpur, and Kandhai police circles, reported IANS.
Kranti Vishwakarma, 20, Guddu Saroj, 40, and Pankaj Tripathi, 45, died in separate cases of lightning under the jurisdiction of Manikpur police station, said the police.
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Two people each from the Kandhai police circle and Sangramgarh police circle and one each from Amhara village, Jethwara police station, and Antoo police station were reported dead while working on the farm or grazing cattle, as per the IANS report.
In Mainpuri, Deep Chandra (22) died as she sat in a temple seeking shelter from the rain when lightning struck her in Nagla Paith village in the Bewar area. She died on the spot, reported the Times of India. In another incident, one Monu Shakya (22) was working on the terrace with his father when he was struck by lightning and died.
North Kajitola resident in the Bewar area, Sunil Kumar (30) was also killed in the lightning strike,
Two more people were also killed in the district after being struck by lightning, and all five victims belonged to farming backgrounds, as per the TOI report.
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In Chandauli, most of the victims, including two teens aged 13 and 15, were struck by lightning while working on a farm or fishing, reported India Today.
Among seven people who were killed in Sultanpur, three were children. The victims were struck by lightning while planting paddies, picking mangoes, and fetching water.
A 14-year-old boy was killed after sheltering under a mango tree while it was raining in Auraiy. A five-year-old girl died after lightning struck her while she was walking towards the farm field where her family members were already present.
Two brothers were struck by lightning in Varanasi of whom one succumbed to burn injuries while the other is undergoing treatment, reported India Today.