Pakistan: lightning strikes kill 11 in Punjab province

Image used for representational purpose

At least 11 people have been killed and five were injured as lightning struck in several districts of the Punjab province of Pakistan on Sunday, reported ARY News.

The people who lost their lives belonged to Narowal, Sialkot, and Sheikhupura, as heavy downpours triggered the incident.

Narowal is a city located in the northeast of Punjab province.

According to ARY News, five people were killed and five were injured in lightning strike events that were recorded in Ratanpur, Panch Pir, and Changwali amid heavy rainfall, according to Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Narowal.

The deceased people included a five-year-old boy Saqlain Shah, 18-year-old Bilal and a 71-year-old elderly man in Shakargarh - Narowal, whereas four people sustained injuries in the lightning strike and were shifted to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital.

In the village of Mandiala in Sheikhupura, a man lost his life by lightning. In the Pasrur tehsil of Sialkot, five people were killed by lightning strikes.

Pre-monsoon rains have struck Pakistan, especially in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) regions. From June 26 to June 29, Balochistan, South Punjab, and Sindh are also expected to receive rain and thunderstorms.

On June 22, in India's Uttar Pradesh, four people, including a minor, died after they were struck by lightning amid heavy rainfall in Uttar Pradesh. Two people were also injured in lightning strikes, the official stated. Deputy District Magistrate, Obra, Prabhakar Singh said, "Krishna Gopal Singh (58), Algu (60) and Golu (25) died after they were hit by lightning in Preet Nagar and Umesh (14) was killed in Bakhdor Tola." "Two locals were injured after they were struck by lightning. They are undergoing treatment at a hospital," the deputy DM added. According to the officials, the bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination.

Earlier in April this year, at least three persons were killed and two others injured in lightning strikes in Chandrapur district of Maharashtra while unseasonal rains damaged crops in 312 hectares, officials had. According to the district administration, 65 livestock were killed due to lightning strikes and five livestock were injured. A total of 312 houses and cottages in the district were partially damaged due to wind storms, hail, and unseasonal rain.

(With inputs from ANI)