Five die in lightning and house collapse

Darbhanga, May 12 (UNI) Five people including two children were killed on the spot in a severe thunderstorm and lightning in the district last night.

District Magistrate Upendra Sharma today said three people including two five and seven year old children,Lalbabu and Kishori Yadav,were killed when the roof of their pucca house at Baruara village suddenly caved in after the thunderstrom,while fifty year old Savitri Devi lost her life in a similar incident at the nearby Panta village.

He said in another incident at Sinuwargopal village,also in the district,one Narayan Sahni was killed when he took shelter under a tree during a heavy downpour and was struck by lightning.He also died instantaneously.

Stating that standing crops in large areas and hundreds of thatched houses in several villages were lost and razed to the ground as a result of last night's strom, the DM said efforts were being to reach succour to the affected at the earliest.Large number of trees were also uprooted in many localities,he informed.

UNI