TURA: Two young mothers were killed and six others injured when lightning struck at two different places in Garo Hills during a sudden thunderstorm on Friday afternoon.
Merisa Sangma (25) of Rongsital village and Sengchi Sangma (38) of Medu Apal village, located in the Raja Apal area of Bajengdoba, North Garo Hills, were heading to school with a group of parents to bring back their children when they encountered a sudden thunderstorm on Friday noon.
During the storm they were struck by lightning leading to their deaths. Five other women in the group also sustained injuries from the lightning strike.
In another similar incident on the same day, a pregnant woman identified as Merisa Sangma was hit by lightning at her home in Nengkhra Watregre village under Samanda Block in East Garo Hills. The 25 year old expectant mother had gone to the kitchen to drink water when lightning struck her home. She was rushed to Williamnagar hospital in a 108 ambulance and is currently under treatment.
Of late, freak weather conditions due to climate change and lightning strikes accompanying storms are increasingly taking place in the Garo Hills region.