TURA: Three persons were left injured, one of them critically, following lightning strikes during a thunderstorm at two different locations of West Garo Hills on Wednesday afternoon.
While two elderly males were injured at Tebronggre village of Rongram, 21 kms from Tura, a woman was struck by lightning at Dalu border town.
The thunderstorm, accompanied by strong winds, lashed the Tura region shortly after 1 pm. The power of the storm was such that its impact could be felt as far away as Bajengdoba in North Garo Hills and Williamnagar in East Garo Hills leaving in its trail fallen trees and branches.
At Tebronggre village, 57-year-old Biston A Sangma and 62-year-old Beritson B Marak along with two other persons were waiting out the storm around a fireplace inside the house when one of them decided to venture out to untie his cow that was left in the open to graze.
As Biston came out of the house he was struck by lightning and Beritson who was standing on the doorway was also hit.
The 108 ambulance was pressed into service to rush the two injured persons to Tura civil hospital. Biston is said to be critical after having suffered burn injuries on his face and other parts of the body.
Locals at the scene say that both were barefooted when they ventured out of the house during the storm.
In Dalu Dapgre village of the border town, 53-year-old Modu Ch Momin was struck by lightning around 3pm. She was found lying unconscious on the floor of her kitchen shortly after a lightning strike in the area. She has been brought to Tura civil hospital for treatment. This being the season for pre-monsoon storms, there has been a spate of thunder squalls in Garo Hills in recent weeks. Just last week, a house at Boldak Ading locality of Tura was destroyed in a fire caused by a lightning strike during a similar storm on April 15 evening. The inmates of the house escaped as they were not inside when lightning struck.
