Lightning death toll rises to 43 in east China

Beijing, June 28: Lightning strikes have killed another six people in east China and pushed the death toll from a five-day flurry of electrical storms to 43, with more thunderstorms expected, Xinhua news agency said today.

The six victims were all from the agricultural province of Jiangxi, where 29 people -- mostly farmers working in the fields -- had already been killed by lightning since Saturday, Xinhua said.

Another five in the province died when heavy rains caused houses to collapse and other accidents, it said.

At least eight people died in lightning strikes in neighbouring coastal Zhejiang province and a total of 193 people had been killed by lightning from January 1 to June 25 this year, up 78 from the figure for the same period of 2006, Xinhua said.

The National Meteorological Centre has forecast more thunderstorms across eastern and southern China on Thursday, and urged authorities to beef up public education in vast rural areas.

Floods, landslides and other accidents brought by rainstorms have wrought havoc across southern China in June, killing more than 150 people, destroying rice crops and causing over 10 billion yuan of economic losses.

Torrential rains have been battering several southwestern and central provinces along the Yangtze River since last week, killing dozens and raising fears of serious flooding.

In the central province of Hunan, downpours have cut off 72 roads, downed telecommunications lines and damaged dams, affecting over 600,000 residents, Xinhua said, adding at least one person was missing after being swept away by flood waters.

Reuters>