Gujarat Tragedy: 7 Killed After Being Struck By Lightning, State Continues To Receive Heavy Rains

Amreli: In a tragic incident, as many as seven people lost their lives after being struck by lightning amid heavy to moderate rainfall that affected various areas of the Gujarat , officials said on Sunday.

In Amreli, five people, including three children, were killed by a lightning strike on Saturday evening, according to police. 

7 Killed After Being Struck By Lightning In Gujarat

The tragedy occurred around 6 PM in Ambardi village, as several farm laborers and their children were heading home when lightning struck. The victims were rushed to the hospital but were pronounced dead upon arrival.

The deceased have been identified as Bhartiben Santhalia (35), Shilpa Santhalia (18), Rupali Vanodia (8), and two five-year-old children, Riddhi and Radhe. In Rajkot, one person died while returning home, and in Botad, a woman lost her life while working on a farm. The region experienced heavy rainfall and thunderstorms throughout the day.

Gujarat 's rainy weather is set to continue, as the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said that light to moderate rain is expected over the next three days. Thunderstorms with lightning and surface winds of 30 to 40 km/h are forecasted for Saturday, Sunday, and Monday in several districts of south Gujarat, including Panchmahal, Dahod, Vadodara, Chhotaudepur, Narmada, Bharuch, Surat, the Dangs, Navsari, Valsad, Tapi, Daman, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli.

Additional districts experiencing similar conditions include Porbandar, Junagadh, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Dwarka, Gir Somnath, Kutch, and Diu.

On Friday, Ahmedabad's weather was partly cloudy, with temperatures reaching a high of 37°C and a low of 26°C.

Gujarat has received 141% of its annual rainfall, raising concerns among farmers as more rain is forecasted. Despite the predictions of additional rainfall, temperatures in the state remain elevated, with the weather department anticipating a rise of 2-3 degrees in maximum temperatures in some areas over the next 3-4 days.