Lightning strikes claim over 18 lives in West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha and Jharkhand in last 2 days- In pics

At least four people were killed and seven others injured in separate incidents of lightning strikes in two districts of West Bengal, as the flood situation in the southern parts of the state deteriorated after a fresh bout of rain on Saturday.

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Two persons in their mid-twenties died in Purba Medinipur district's Nandigram, while two others, including a woman, were killed in Purba Bardhaman district when lightning struck them, a senior official said. Seven people were injured in lightning strikes in Purba Bardhaman district, he said, adding that all the people were working in agricultural fields.

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Seven people have been killed in a lightning strike in Bihar`s Banka district on Saturday, state Health Minister Mangal Pandey informed. Lightning activities have shown an increasing trend all over India in the past two decades, said Union Minister of State Dr Jitendra Singh on Friday.

"The news of the death of 7 people due to lightning in Banka district is very sad. The Bihar government is with the victim`s family in this hour of disaster. My deepest condolences to the dead and injured in this incident. I pray to God to give peace to the dead and speedy recovery to the injured," Pandey tweeted after the tragedy. 

At least five persons, including three women, died and five others were injured when lightning struck them in three districts of Odisha on Saturday, police said.

The incidents took place when all of them were engaged in paddy cultivation work in Mayurbhanj, Bhadrak and Balasore districts, they said. The injured are undergoing treatment in hospital.

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Two persons were killed in lightning strikes in Jharkhand's Palamu district on Saturday, police said.

A 45-year-old farmer was working in his field in Karkatta village, while a 13-year-old boy was returning home in Kuhkuhu village, when they were struck by lightning, an officer said. The bodies were sent for post-mortem examination, he added.