MUMBAI, Oct 31 (NNN-Xinhua) — Ten people have died after lightning struck in three separate incidents on Wednesday night in India’s western state of Maharashtra.
The lightning incident followed rains and thunderstorm in the three districts of Akola, Amravati and Nanded in the state, which are located around 580 km from Mumbai.
Depression in the Arabian sea led to lightning followed by unseasonal rains in these districts, according to an official from India Meteorological Department (IMD).
IMD has forecasted heavy rainfalls on Thursday in the Southern states of Kerala and Lakshadweep islands as also in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
According to the data from the country’s National Crime Record Bureau, over 2,000 people have died every year in Asia’s third largest economy due to lightning strikes since 2005.
This is an unusually high number compared to average deaths of 27 in the United States, experts said. — NNN-XINHUA
