At least seven people were killed yesterday after being struck by lightning in three separate incidents in Naogaon’s Swarasati, Porsha and Niyamotpur upazilas.
In Swarasati upazila, lightning struck a paddy-market around 7:30am, leaving four people dead on the spot and over 50 people injured.
One of those critically injured, died on the way to Mohadebpur Health Complex, said Mohadebpur police station Officer-in-Charge Md Enayet Uddin.
The deceased are Sadar upazila’s Azizar Rahman, 40, Mohadebpur upazila’s Hafizur Rahman, 42, Samsul Alam, 35, Yakub Ali, 20, and Afzal Hossain, 25.
Among the critically injured, Abdus Samand, Belal Hossain, Abul Kashem and Saidur Rahman were admitted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, while Habibur Rahman, Saidur Rahman, Tajem Ali, Afjal Hossain, Aminul Islam and Purnima Begum were admitted to Naogaon Sadar Hospital.
The rest were admitted to Mohadebpur Upazila Health Complex.
Local lawmaker Solim Uddin, former deputy speaker Akter Hamid Siddique, Naogaon Deputy Commissioner Md Enamul Haque and other administrative high-ups went to visit these victims.
Sabina Yeasmin, 35, from Porsha upazila, and Sonabor Mia, 60, from Niyamotpur upazila, also died near their respective residences when lightning struck them around 9:30am.
All the deceased’s families have been compensated with Tk20,000, and the 33 injured were given Tk10,000 each for their treatment from Naogaon deputy commissioner’s emergency fund.
Besides, Solim Uddin also gave Tk5,000 to each of the deceased’s family from his private funds. Separate unnatural death cases were filed in this regards.