At least 27 people were killed by lightning and four passengers on a hospitalized flight after monsoon storms in West Bengal.
Lightning has killed 27 people and sent four passengers in flight to the hospital after heavy turbulence during monsoon storms in eastern India, officials said.
Officials said West Bengal was hit by storms from Monday to late Monday, with lightning in some parts of the state, a fairly common occurrence during the annual monsoon in June to September in the country.
“Many of the 27 killings on Monday evening … in the state were farmers and working in the field,” West Bengal disaster management minister Javed Ahmed Khan told AFP news agency on Tuesday.
The victims were mostly farmers, although some were people who were simply outdoors, authorities said. The storms affected six districts of the state, accompanied by strong winds.
A flight from the western city of Bombay to Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal, was caught in the storm as it was about to land, officials said.
Eight passengers were injured, and four were taken to hospital.
“A passenger is still hospitalized. The others have been discharged, “airport director C Pattabhi told AFP.” It was a very strong shave for the passengers. “
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced financial compensation of Rs 200,000 ($ 2,746) for the closest relatives of those who had died and Rs 50,000 ($ 686) for each injured.
About 2,900 people died due to lightning in India in 2019 according to the National Crime Records Bureau, the latest figures available.
Summer storms accompanied by strong winds are common in India before the rainy monsoon season. The weather office has forecast more storms for India in the coming days.
The monsoon is crucial to replenishing the water supply in South Asia, but it also causes widespread death and destruction throughout the region.
