Lightning strikes claim seven lives

Lightning strikes claimed the lives of seven people in Tangail, Gazipur, and Narsingdi this morning.

In Narsingdi, three people, including a mother and her son, died after lightning struck them as they were harvesting paddy during a thunderstorm in Sadar upazila around 11:00am.

The deceased were identified as Sharifa Begum, 42, her son Imon Mia, 12, and Kaiyum Mia, 35, of Alokbali union.

The victims had gone to Bhatear Char to harvest paddy, according to the locals.

They died on the way to Narsingdi District Hospital.

Another man, Musleh Uddin, 45, from Hazipur union, also died after being struck by lightning.

"Four people were brought dead to our hospital. There are indications of lightning strike injuries on their bodies," said Narsingdi District Hospital resident medical officer Dr Mahbubul Kabir Bashar.

In Tangail, two men who were cousins also died while they were harvesting paddy during a thunderstorm in Kalihati upazila in the morning.

The deceased are Afzal Hossain, 55, and Amir Hossain, 52.

Sohrab Hossain, chairman of Birbasinda Union Parishad, said lightning struck the two men dead while they were harvesting paddy in a nearby farmer's field in Nawabari village.

In Gazipur, a woman died after being struck by lightning when she was doing household chores in the yard of her house in Sreepur upazila around 10:00am.

The deceased was identified as Fatema Khatun, 45, said Sub-Inspector Quddus Mia of Sreepur Police Station.

She was then taken to Sreepur Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared her dead, the SI added.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) predicted rain or thundershowers in various parts of the country, including Dhaka, Tangail, and Gazipur during a 24-hour period starting from 9:00am today.

[Our correspondents from Narsingdi, Tangail, and Gazipur contributed to this report]