Lightning strikes kill 11 in Chapainawabganj, Sirajganj, Chittagong

At least seven people were killed in lightning strikes across the country between Sunday night and Monday afternoon.

Lightning fatalities are common during rainstorms in tropical Bangladesh.

On May 18, at least 16 people were killed after being struck by lightning in Netrakona, Faridpur, Manikganj and Kishoreganj.

Six others were killed in Jamalpur district on May 20.

In Chapainawabganj, five of them were killed in Sadar and Gomostapur upazilas. Another person was injured and two buffaloes died in the incidents that occurred on Monday afternoon.

The deceased are Sadia Akhter, 10, of Lalkopara village under Gomostapur union; Khushi, 12, of Hujrapur Mahalla in Rahanpur municipal area; Al-Amin, 14, of Sabania area under Sundarpur union of Sadar upazila; Rabiul Islam, 30, of Islampur union; and Azizul Haque Foring, 54, of Hariabari village under Jambaria union.

Gomostapur police station OC Dilip Kumar Das said that the girls – Khushi and Sadia – went to pick mangoes in their respective localities around 3:30pm on Monday when they were struck by lightning. They were rushed to Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared them dead.

Teenager Al-Amin was killed by lightning while he was trying to pick litchis in Sabania area under the Sundarpur union of Sadar upazila.

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Rabiul Islam went to fetch his buffaloes that were tied near his house in Harma area of Islampur union under Chapainawabganj Sadar upazila around 2:30pm on Monday. He died on the spot while his father was seriously injured, said OC of Chapainawabganj Sadar model police station Mozaffar Hossain. Two buffaloes also died in the incident.

Jambaria Union Parishad Chairman Mushfiqul Islam said that Azizul Haque Foring, 54, was killed as the lightning struck him while grazing cattle at Krishtapur Torab's mango orchard in Hariabari village around 5pm.

On Thursday, three people were killed in the district’s Shibganj and Nachol upazilas.

In Sirajganj, four people were killed in two separate lightning incidents on Monday.

The incidents took place in Chithulia and Dugli of Shahjadpur upazila, and Krishtapur village of Ullapara upazila.

The four deceased are Nazmul, 15, and Hashem Ali, 25, of Dugli village; Shakera Khatun, 60, of Chithulia village under Shahjadpur upazila; and Mohana Khatun, 17, of Paschim Kristapur village under Ullapara upazila.

Shahjadpur police station OC Shahid Mahmud Khan and Purnimaganti UP Chairman Al-Amin Sarkar confirmed the information.

In Chittagong, two construction workers were killed at Paschim Boroiya village under Anwara upazila on Sunday night.

They are Ilias Hossain, 50; and Abul Kashem, 40, reports BSS.

Oman Sayed, OC (investigation) of Anwara police station, said that a thunderbolt hit them while they were returning home from Baroulia area around 9pm.

They were rushed to Anwara Upazila Health Complex where the duty doctors declared them dead.