Lightning strikes kill 22

At least 22 people, including two students, were killed by lightning strikes in 10 districts yesterday.

Of them, six were killed in Habiganj, three in Rajshahi, two each in Sunamganj, Nilphamari, Kishoreganj and Manikganj and one each in Gaibandha, Sylhet, Narayanganj, Mymensingh and Netrakona, report our correspondents in the districts.

With them, 144 people have been killed in lightning strikes since January 18, according to the website of Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief.

In Habiganj, six farmers were killed by lightning while harvesting paddy in haor areas across four upazilas, our Moulvibazar correspondent reports.

The victims are Joynal, 60, and Swapon Das, 35, of Baniachong; Narayan Paul, 35, and Abu Talib, 20, of Nabiganj; Sufi Miah, 30, of Lakhai; and Jaoharlal Sarker, 23, of Madhabpur.

In Rajshahi's Tanore upazila, three people were killed and two others injured when struck with lightning yesterday.

The deceased are Anisur Rahman, 30, of Bataspur, Elena Murmu, 35, of Chalkratiram and Sohag Ali, 16, of Duboil villages. The injured are receiving treatment at the local health complex.

In Nilphamari's Jaldhaka upazila, Asma Beowa, 50, was killed when struck by lightning at her house in Dhukdhuki Shalon village and Noor Amin, 45, was killed while working in a field.

In Sunamganj, two farmers -- Jewel Ahmed, 16, and Alamgir, 22 -- were killed in separate incidents of lightning while they were working in fields in Dharamapasha upazila and Sulla upazila yesterday noon.

In Gowainghat upazila in Sylhet, Nurul Haque, 30 of Kamargaon village, died when a thunderbolt struck him yesterday morning.

In Manikganj, 12-year old Saiful Islam Antor of Taluknagar High School died when struck by lightning while Yakub Ali Sheikh, 48, a farmer of Hasadia village in Daulatpur upazila, died while working in a paddy field.

In Kishoreganj, Md Shahjalal Mia, 25, a polytechnic student from Nikoli upazila, and Dipali Rani Barman, 35, of Pakundia upazila died in separate incidents of lightning strikes.

In Gaibandha, farmer Meher Ali, 35, was killed when lightning struck him in a field in Purbo Salua area of Fulchari upazila at noon.

Meanwhile, the ministry of disaster management has already set up lightning detecting sensors at met offices in Dhaka, Mymensingh, Sylhet, Panchagar, Naogaon, Khulna, Patuakhali and Chittagong on an experimental basis to get information of lightning 10 to 15 minutes before its strike.

The lightning detective sensors worth Tk 20 crore were brought from USA, ministry sources said.

According to them, many countries of Europe, USA and India have benefited from using these sensors.

Md Shah Kamal, secretary to disaster management and relief, said the government has also planted 31.39 lakh palm trees across the country to protect people from lightening.