Staff Reporter :At least 15 people were killed by lightning and electric short during the heavy downpour across the country on Friday afternoon. The torrential rain submerged many streets of the city, throwing the normal life into disarray.In the capital city, at least five were killed in the different parts of the city. Two people, including a child, died of electrocution and two others injured during a heavy rain in the city’s Lalbagh area. The deceased were identified as Sohanur Rahman Rifat, 11, son of Dulal, and Ruma Akhter, 28, wife of Shamsuddin while the injured are Rifats’ mother Jarina and Nishat, 11.Sources at Dhaka Medical College Hospital said that the victims along with several others were taking rain bath during the heavy rainfall. Suddenly, an electric wire got severed from a pole and fell on a tin-shed house. Rifat, Ruma, Jarina and Nishat received electric shock in the incident. Of them, seriously injured Rifat and Ruma were rushed to the DMCH where on-duty doctor declared them dead.On the other hand, construction worker Khokon fell off a seven-storey under-construction building at Lalmatia after he came in touch with a live electrical wire while working, leaving him injured critically. Khokon was taken to the DMCH where he died in the evening.The two other persons were killed by lightning at Chandrima Udyan and Shaheednagaro of Gendaria. Badal, 14 was struck by a thunderbolt while he along with his friends were playing cricket near Chandrima Udyan, while Abdur Rahim, 18, of Shaheednagar died at DMCH.Streets in different areas of the capital, including Shenpara Parbata, Kazipara, Gulistan, Malibagh, Shantinagar, Manikdi Bazar, Merul Badda, Shahjahanpur, Fakirerpool, Nayapaltan, Motijheel, Rajarbagh, Rampura and Badda, went under water following the rain. The water stagnation was created in many pocket areas of the city for lack of operational sewerage system, worsening the sufferings of the commuters.Shopping malls and other businesses witnessed a thin presence of customers in the evening following the sudden rain.Some 20 mm of rainfall was recorded at the Met Office at Agargaon till 6:00 pm from 3:00 pm, said an official at the Bangladesh Meteorological Department. During the downpour, the temperature o fell to 28 degrees Celsius in the capital. The maximum temperature in the city was 34.5 degrees Celsius, said the official. In Gazipur, two farmers were killed and three others injured in a lightening strike at Beldia village in Sripur upazila. The deceased were identified as Nesar Uddin, 60, son of Miar Uddin Meghu, hailing from Beldia village, and Safir Uddin, 35, son of Ahammed Ali, hailing from Madhupur village of Tangail district.Officer-in-charge of Sripur Police Station Abdul Motaleb Miah said the thunderbolt struck the five farmers while taking lunch at the farming land after their work, leaving them injured.They were whisked off to a local hospital from where Nesar and Safir were shifted to Sripur Upazila Health Complex. However, the duo was declared brought dead.In Magura, at least three people were killed at Sadar Upazila in the district during the torrential rain. The deceased were identified as Molin, 17, son of Muzaffar Hossain of Laxmipur village, Sindbad, 21, son of Moktar Hossain of Andolbaria village, and Ebadullah, 55, of Gopalpur. In Netrakona, Shahidullah, 13, a schoolboy, and Engin Miah, 40, a farmer, were was killed during the downpour at Kendua upazila of the district. On the other hand, Mayarun, 55, was killed at Jaintapur in Sylhet, while schoolboy- Sofor Miah, 7, was killed in Moulvibazar and Intaj Miah, 55, was killed in Jhenaidah. Arif Hossain, 22, was killed at Delduar in Tangail while two others were injured there.
