lightning
Lightning claimed as many as ten lives in east UP districts, while several other suffered burn injuries in separate incidents on Tuesday. In Sonebhadra, 147 sheep were also killed in lightning strikes.

Spells of thunderstorm had started hitting the region in the wee hours. Initially, the areas of Sonebhadra and Azamgarh were hit, while Varanasi too felt the effects in the afternoon.

In Varanasi, Sumitra Patel (40) of Sattanpur village and Sanju Gupta (35) of Sihorva village were killed by lightning, said ADM (finance and revenue) and nodal officer (natural disaster) Satish Pal. Three children in these villages also suffered injuries and were rushed to trauma centre of BHU. Besides, Sima Pal (30) of Kumbhapur village in Badagaon area also died in lightning strike while grazing her cow in fields with her two sons. Both boys also suffered injuries.

Similarly, in Azamgarh district Vipul Rajbhar (13) of Barasil village in Jahanaganj area was killed while his brothers Vishal and Avanish suffered grave injuries while playing near a pond in their village. SP Azamgarh Triveni said that apart from Vipul a youth Mohd Sazid (18) was also killed during lightning near Samaudhi mosue in Mubarakpur while his two friends Abdulla and Mohd Rafe suffered injuries. One Urmila (22) in Visaham village of Mehnagar area was also killed in lightning while taking her goat in fields for grazing.

In Mau district lightning claimed lives of Harikishun (65) and his wife Shilawati (60) in Karmikhurd village of Chiraiyyakot area, said SP Mau Anurag Arya. In Panditpura village of Saralakhansi area an elderly woman was killed while her daughter-in-law Renu suffered injuries.

Alka (18) was killed in Hinauta village of Chakia area in Chandauli district, while her cousin Akanksha (10) suffered burn injuries and was rushed to the hospital in neighbouring Ahraura area of Mirzapur district.

Meanwhile, in Sonbhadra district two shepherds suffered burn injuries while their 147 sheep were killed after being hit by lightning in Rampur Barkonia area. A woman and her son also suffered injuries during lightning strike in Pedh village of Ghorawal area.