At Least 24 Killed In Lightning Strikes In India's Gujarat State

At least 24 people have died by lightning strikes as thunderstorms lashed Gujarat, a state located on the western coast of India.

Also, 23 others were injured and 71 animals were killed as unseasonal rainfall, paired with thunderstorms and hailstorms, lashed several parts of the state over the weekend, the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) said. The relentless rain also caused damage to about 29 houses.

Some places received up to 5.7 inches of rain in the 24 hours ending Monday morning.

"We will begin a survey soon to assess the loss suffered," Gujarat Agriculture Minister Raghavij Patel said Monday.

Patel assured residents that compensation would be offered to the victims based on the survey results.

"I am deeply saddened by the news of the deaths of many people due to bad weather and lightning in various cities in Gujarat. I express my deepest condolences to those who lost their loved ones in this tragedy for their irreparable loss. The local administration is engaged in relief work, praying for the speedy recovery of the injured," India's Home Minister Amit Shah wrote on X, according to a Google translation.

Several parts of India have been receiving unusual showers over the past few days. Apart from the widespread downpours in Gujarat, unseasonal rains were also seen in the neighboring states of Maharashtra and Rajasthan.

Ahead of the weekend, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a "yellow watch," the third highest severe weather warning, for some areas and advised residents to be aware of their local weather situation.

IMD predicted last week that Northwest India would receive unseasonal showers due to a fresh western disturbance seen as a trough in middle tropospheric westerlies, according to weather.com. Originating over the Mediterranean Sea, these disturbances are low-pressure systems that move eastward. They gather moisture along the way, which then pours over north India.

The meteorological department on Monday issued an orange alert, the second-most severe warning, for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the state of Uttarakhand, and the Vidarbha region in the state of Maharashtra.