At least 36 people have died in northern India during the previous 24 hours due to hazardous weather, including 12 who were struck by lightning.
At least 36 people have died as a result of hazardous weather in northern India during the past 24 hours, including 12 who were struck by lightning, according to officials who also issued a warning about more intense downpours in the coming days.
At least 24 people perished after their homes collapsed across the northern state of Uttar Pradesh as a result of the constant rain, according to Relief Commissioner Ranvir Prasad.
In the city of Prayagraj, 15-year-old Mohamed Usman was standing on his friend’s roof when lightning hit, instantly killing him. His only friend, Aznan, got hurt and is receiving medical attention in a hospital.
Usman’s father, Mohammad Ayub, claimed, “As soon as they stepped foot on the roof, they were struck by lightning and my son died.”
Authorities have issued fresh recommendations for how people should protect themselves during a thunderstorm after reports that 39 individuals in the state have died from lightning in the past five days.
During India’s monsoon season, which lasts from June to September, lightning strikes are frequent.
According to Col. Sanjay Srivastava of the Lightning Resilient India Campaign, which collaborates with the Indian Meteorological Department, deforestation, the depletion of freshwater resources, and pollution all contribute to climate change, which increases lightning frequency.
According to Sunita Narain, director general of the Center for Science and Environment, global warming has also led to an increase in lightning frequency. An increase in temperature of 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) causes lightning to increase by 12 times.
Over the past year, there has been a 34% increase in lightning strikes in India, which has led to an increase in mortality. According to Srivastava, India had 1,489 lightning-related deaths in 2016, and that number increased to 2,869 in 2021.