14 killed by lightning strikes in India's mineral-rich Jharkhand state

Police reported that lightning strikes killed at least 14 people in the mineral-rich state of Jharkhand in eastern India, marking the latest death toll linked to the annual monsoon rains that have triggered floods and landslides in other regions.

Police said most of the ten fatalities in the state’s Giridih district were farm workers who were tending crops in open fields.

The police added that lightning strikes hit the area on Tuesday, a common occurrence during monsoon storms, and also injured at least seven people.

The India Meteorological Department forecast widespread rainfall in the state over the coming days on Wednesday.

In January, the India Meteorological Department reported that Jharkhand had seen more than 200 deaths in 2025, mostly attributed to “lightning associated with thunderstorms.”

Heavy rains this year have caused severe flooding in the rugged northeastern state of Assam, killing nearly 90 people, while 15 people died in the southern state of Kerala, where the rains displaced thousands from their homes.