14 killed as lightning strikes hit Bangladesh

Fourteen people were killed after lightning strikes hit multiple regions of Bangladesh on Sunday and Monday, as seasonal thunderstorms swept across the country.

The fatalities were reported across seven districts following a week of intense heatwave conditions. The sudden storms brought heavy rain and intense lightning, catching many residents off guard.

According to local authorities, the highest death toll was recorded in the northern district of Gaibandha, where five people, including two children, lost their lives. Other deaths were reported in:

• Sirajganj: 2
• Thakurgaon: 2
• Jamalpur: 2
• Bogura: 1
• Natore: 1
• Panchagarh: 1

Farmers and laborers most at risk

Most of the victims were farmers working in open fields or laborers caught in exposed areas during the sudden rainfalls. In Natore, a 26-year-old farm laborer was struck while transporting harvested paddy, while in Panchagarh, a 22-year-old tea garden worker was killed while returning from work.

Several other people were injured in the strikes and are currently receiving treatment at various hospitals, with some reported to be in critical condition.

A recurring natural disaster

Lightning strikes were officially declared a natural disaster by the Bangladeshi government in 2016, after more than 200 people died in May alone, including a record 82 people on a single day.

Experts link the rising number of fatalities to environmental changes, particularly deforestation. The disappearance of tall trees, such as palm and coconut trees, has removed natural lightning rods that previously helped draw strikes away from people in rural areas.