In two separate incidents, lightning claims one life at Nawadih while two sustained injuries from lightening at Surhi in Bokaro district, conditions of the injured are stable, hospital authority said.
The deceased was identified as Ramu Kumar Mahato (15), resident of Potso village. He was on his way to home when lightening stuck on him, informed a villager. With the help of locals Ramu rushed to nearby hospital where doctor referred him to another hospital for better treatment. later the villagers rushed him to regional hospital where doctors declared Ramu brought dead.
While in another incident Basanti Devi and Meena Devi injured due the lightening struck. Duos also were on the way to home, when suddenly rain and thundering started, said an eyewitness. “To escape from rain duo rushed under a Mahua tree, then suddenly lightening struck the tree which resulted into injuries of the duos”, added the eyewitness.
Notably, every year lightning claims 50 to 60 lives in Jharkhand.Open areas are not safe when thunderstorms struck, said Dr lalan Kumar a medical practitioner at Jaridih. “If one caught outside with no safe shelter anywhere nearby then one can follow few actions which can reduce the risk”, he added.
In that case person should immediately get off from the elevated areas (hill or peaks) and try to get shelter in a building immediately, preferably in a house, inside the metal automobile, he said adding “one should never lie flat on the ground, never take shelter under an isolated tree”.
One should immediately come out and get away from ponds, lakes and other bodies of water during thunderstorms and also stay away from objects that conduct electricity, he said.