36 Dead in One Day Due to Heavy Rain and Lightning Accidents in Northern India

Lightning Strike Deaths Increase Annually
Lightning Frequency Rises 12 Times for Every 1°C Temperature Increase

India experiences the monsoon rainy season from June to September, during which lightning accidents frequently occur. Photo by AP Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Juri] In northern India, heavy rain combined with lightning strikes resulted in 36 deaths in a single day.

According to local Indian media such as NDTV and foreign news outlets on the 25th (local time), at least 36 people died due to weather conditions in Uttar Pradesh, northern India, over a 24-hour period from the afternoon of the 23rd to the afternoon of the 24th.

The media reported that in Prayagraj city, 12 people died from lightning strikes, including a boy who was on a rooftop with friends when lightning struck on the 23rd.

India experiences the monsoon season from June to September, during which lightning accidents frequently occur. Indian authorities are particularly concerned as the number of deaths caused by lightning strikes has been increasing every year.

The number of deaths from lightning strikes rose from 1,489 in 2016 to 2,869 last year.

The Indian Science and Environment Center analyzed that the number of lightning strikes increases twelvefold for every 1-degree Celsius rise in temperature, with deforestation, water resource depletion, and air pollution raising temperatures and causing more frequent lightning.

Therefore, Indian authorities have advised people not to touch metal or plumbing pipes and to avoid using landline phones or approaching electrical wires during lightning to prevent lightning-related injuries.

Ranbir Prasad, the relief officer for the area where the fatalities occurred, stated that at least 24 people died as houses collapsed due to the heavy rain.