Daijiworld Media Network- Bhopal
Bhopal, May 14: In a heart-wrenching incident triggered by turbulent weather, three children were struck by lightning on Tuesday evening in Kurudih village of Korba district, Chhattisgarh. The tragedy unfolded near a local pond where the children had gathered amidst the ongoing storm.
The victims have been identified as 14-year-old Manish Kashyap and 13-year-old Lokesh Kumar, both of whom suffered severe burn injuries. All three were rushed to the district hospital for urgent medical attention. According to the local police, one of the injured children regained consciousness later in the evening, while the condition of the other two remains critical.
The Chhattisgarh Meteorological Department has sounded an alert, issuing a three-day warning for storms and heavy rainfall across 31 districts, including Raipur, Durg, and Bilaspur. The advisory comes in the wake of sudden weather fluctuations across the region.
On Tuesday afternoon, Raipur witnessed a sudden downpour accompanied by gusty winds, adding to the anxiety among residents. Meteorologists have forecast wind speeds ranging between 40 and 60 kmph in several parts of the state, along with possible lightning strikes. These turbulent conditions are likely to persist until May 15, post which temperatures are expected to rise by 2-3 degrees Celsius.
Adding to the concerns, Durg recorded the highest temperature on Monday, touching a sweltering 42°C. According to the Meteorological Centre in Raipur, the prevailing unstable weather is being attributed to a trough line extending from southwest Uttar Pradesh to Tamil Nadu, coupled with an active western disturbance. These systems have intensified atmospheric instability, triggering thunderstorms and widespread rainfall across Chhattisgarh.
Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh is also grappling with similar weather disruptions. The state meteorological department has predicted thunderstorm activity, lightning, and rainfall across multiple districts, including Bhopal, Vidisha, Raisen, Sehore, Rajgarh, Narmadapuram, Betul, Harda, Burhanpur, Khandwa, Khargone, Barwani, Alirajpur, Jhabua, Dhar, Indore, Ratlam, Dewas, Mandsaur, Neemuch, Guna, Ashoknagar, Shivpuri, Gwalior, Datia, Bhind, Morena, and Sheopur.
Isolated locations in these districts are likely to experience thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and strong winds ranging from 40 to 50 kmph. In addition, weather alerts for isolated thunderstorm activity with lightning have been issued for areas including Anuppur, Dindori, Jabalpur, Narsinghpur, Chhindwara, Seoni, Mandla, Balaghat, Chhatarpur, Tikamgarh, Niwari, and Pandhurna.
Authorities have urged residents to remain indoors during stormy conditions and follow safety precautions to avoid any untoward incidents.