Lightning and heavy rains kill 39 people over five days

Officials said 39 people had been killed by lightning in a five-day period until last Friday, prompting authorities to issue new guidelines advising people how to protect themselves during a thunderstorm. Lightning strikes are common during the monsoon season from June to September.

Col Sanjay Srivastava, whose organisation Lightning Resilient India Campaign works with the Indian Meteorological Department, said deforestation, pollution and the depletion of bodies of water all contributed to climate breakdown, which was leading to more lightning. There has been a 34% rise in lightning strikes across India over the past year, causing deaths to jump.