Lightning strikes kill five women and injure four in Jharkhand farms
Five women died and four were hurt after lightning hit fields in Jharkhand's Ramgarh and Godda districts, police said.
Lightning bolts struck farmers working in paddy fields in Jharkhand on Sunday, killing five women and wounding four others, according to one outlet police. In Ramgarh district's Patratu block, three victims were named as Rekha Devi, 45, Roshni Kumari, 21, both from Sakul village, and Sushanti Devi, 34, of Palani village. Two additional deaths occurred in Godda district's Maheshpur-Rampur village, though the identities have not yet been confirmed.
The victims were all engaged in sowing rice when the strikes occurred. The India Meteorological Department forecast heavy rain, thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds for the next four days and issued a yellow alert for isolated severe weather from August 3 to 6. The alert covers northwestern districts such as Garhwa, Palamu, Chatra and Latehar, as well as central districts including Hazaribag, Koderma, Ramgarh and Bokaro.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the danger of sudden storms for rural workers and prompts weather warnings for the region.
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