Nearly 70 die in lightning strikes in India

NEW DELHI: Lightning strikes amid heavy rains claimed nearly 70 people's lives, and injured many others, in three Indian states, namely Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, in the past 24 hours, government officials from these states said over the phone on Monday.

The death toll due to heavy lightning in Uttar Pradesh mounted to 42 on Monday, while seven people died in Madhya Pradesh, and at least 20 persons died in Rajasthan on Sunday, Xinhua quoted media reports.

As many as 42 persons died across Uttar Pradesh's 17 districts, confirmed an official, over the phone, at Uttar Pradesh Disaster Control Room in the state capital Lucknow.

Expressing grief over the deaths, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, "Many people have lost their lives due to lightning in some areas of Rajasthan. This is very saddening. I express my deepest condolences to the families of the deceased."

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced a monetary compensation for the next of kin of those who died in the lightning strikes.

-- BERNAMA