20 People Killed by Lightning in One Day... Over 2,500 Die Annually in India Due to This Accident

Over 2,500 People Die Annually from Lightning Strikes in India... Recent Increase in Lightning Incidents

Lightning striking in India. The above photo is not directly related to the article content. /AP Yonhap News Photo by Yeonhap

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Woo-seok] An incident occurred in India where 20 people were struck by lightning and died in just one day.

According to foreign media reports such as the BBC on the 27th (local time), 20 residents in eight districts including Kamiur District and Bojpur District in Bihar State, northern India, died due to lightning on the 25th. It was reported that lightning struck several times in the area throughout the day.

The Bihar state authorities held an emergency meeting and prepared countermeasures such as installing lightning rods, but could not prevent the damage.

Nitish Kumar, Chief Minister of Bihar, mourned the victims on the 26th and announced that he would provide condolence money of 400,000 rupees (about 6.5 million KRW) to the bereaved families. He also urged, "Please frequently check the recommendations of the National Disaster Response Force (NDMA) during the rainy season and stay indoors as much as possible during severe weather."

In India, more than 2,500 people lose their lives annually due to lightning accidents. Between 1967 and 2019, the number of deaths caused by lightning in India exceeded 100,000.

Recently, the number of observed lightning strikes has also increased. According to the Climate Restoration Observation System Promotion Council, a non-profit organization, more than 18 million lightning strikes were recorded in India from April 2020 to March 2021. This is a 34% increase compared to the same period the previous year. Satellite data collected by the Indian Tropical Meteorological Institute also shows a sharp increase in lightning between 1995 and 2014.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department warned that heavy rain accompanied by thunder and lightning is expected in most parts of India until the 30th and urged caution.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.