TRICHY: At least five people, including a girl and two women, were killed in lightning strikes across four districts of Jharkhand over the past 24 hours, police confirmed on Saturday.
Details of the Incidents
Two deaths were reported from Garhwa district on Friday, while one each occurred in Ranchi, Dhanbad, and Bokaro, officials said. A 12-year-old girl, identified as Ashrita, was struck by lightning while collecting mangoes from a tree with her parents in Kulli village under the Itki Police Station limits in Ranchi. Her parents sustained injuries and were admitted to a local health center, an officer reported.
In Garhwa, a 45-year-old woman died in Garakhurd village under the Kandi Police Station limits, and a 32-year-old man was killed in Banajangha village, according to another officer. In Dhanbad, a 44-year-old woman lost her life in Chungi village under the Rajganj Police Station area. Meanwhile, in Bokaro, a 21-year-old man died in Babudih village under the Pindrajora Police Station limits.
Weather Conditions and Alerts
Heavy rains accompanied by lightning strikes lashed major parts of Jharkhand on Friday and continued into Saturday morning, bringing down maximum temperatures across the state. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an 'orange' alert (be prepared) for thunderstorms in 13 districts, including Ranchi, Ramgarh, Bokaro, Koderma, Giridih, Dhanbad, and Godda, effective until 8:30 am on Sunday.
Abhishek Anand, Deputy Director of the Ranchi Meteorological Centre, attributed the weather change to two trough systems. "The maximum temperature fell by up to 7 degrees Celsius across Jharkhand. Over the next four days, the temperature is likely to rise by 3 to 5 degrees Celsius," he said.
On Friday, Daltonganj recorded the highest maximum temperature at 34.5 degrees Celsius, which is 6.2 notches below normal. Chaibasa registered 33.4 degrees Celsius, and Ranchi saw 27.8 degrees Celsius.
