DHAKA : Four people were killed and seven injured in lightning strikes in Madaripur and Sirajganj districts Tuesday as an inclement weather continued to persist over the country.

In Madaripur, a father and his daughter were killed in lightning strikes in Umedpur union in Shibchar upazila.

The dead were identified as Hashem Howlader, 75, and his daughter Rahela Begum, 40, of village Kamalapur.  

Witnesses said a thunderbolt struck on the house of Hashem at about 3:00 pm, killing them instantly.

In the meantime, seven people, including five girl students of Umedpur Girls High School, sustained burn injuries as lightning flashed near them at the same time.

The injured were admitted to the Upazila Health Complex.

In Sirajganj, lightning strikes killed two people at Choyra village in Ullapara upazila in the morning.

The deceased were identified as Barat Ali, 25, of Choyra village and Tojam Uddin, 27, of Baniahor village, in the upazila.

Udhunia UP chairman Md. Rezaul Karim said thunderclaps struck the two while fishing in a ‘Beel (water body)’ at about 5:30am, killing both on the spot.

BST 1530 HRS, June 29, 2010
Corr/ARF/MS/LY/MUA