Off the wire
• 6 militants killed in fresh drone strike in Afghanistan  • 1st Ld Writethru: India successfully launches 20 satellites into space  • Spotlight: China opens first RMB clearing bank in South America  • Spotlight: Campaigning for Japan's upper house poll kicks off with economy, Constitution reform on focus  • Roundup: S. Korea denounces DPRK's Musudan missile launch as violation of UN resolutions  • Urgent: 46 killed in lightning, shower-related incidents in eastern India  • Spotlight: "Shanghai Spirit" draws new members to join SCO  • 1st Ld-Writethru: China to launch new carrier rocket June 25-29  • India successfully launches 20 satellites with single rocket  • Lowy poll: China rated as Australia's best friend in Asia  
You are here: 　 Home

1st LD Writethru: 80 killed in lightning strikes in India

Xinhua, June 22, 2016 Adjust font size:

At least 80 people have been killed in lightning strikes and rain-related incidents in India over the past two days, a senior official said Wednesday.

"The deaths were reported from the eastern state of Bihar and Jharkhand, and the northern state of Uttar Pradesh since Monday," the official said, on condition of anonymity.

While 53 people died in Bihar, 10 people were killed in Jharkhand. Some 17 deaths were reported from Uttar Pradesh, he said.

The victims were mostly agricultural workers who had been killed by lightning strikes while working on farms, the official said.

Lightning strikes are common in India during heavy monsoon rains. The monsoon season runs from June to September every year. Endit