Lightning kills 2 farmers in Habiganj

Two farmers were killed after being struck by lightning in the Pithabari area of Habiganj's Baniachang upazila on Saturday morning, reports UNB.

The deceased were identified as Abdul Karim, 65, and Nur Uddin, 50, both residents of Majlishpur village.

The incident occurred around 9.00am when both the men were working on a paddy field, said locals.

Both of them died on the spot, said upazila project implementation officer Moloy Kumar Das.

Lightning strikes are one of the deadliest natural disasters in Bangladesh, claiming over 200 lives every year.

According to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, 2,164 people died in lightning strikes in the country from 2011 to 2020.

At least 216 people die every year on an average in lightning strikes, more than by floods, cyclones and other calamities.

More than 70 per cent of the total lightning strikes occur between April and June, say experts.