The lightning strike in Jaipur has made headlines. It is sad to see many people losing their lives. The reports have indicated that there have been deaths of around 20 people in Rajasthan alone. Uttar Pradesh, also known as UP, had reported more than 18 deaths due to the Lightning strike. However, no such tweet is seen in the last 24 hours on the UP’s official CM Twitter account at the time of this article.
Where did the lightning strike in Rajasthan?
It affected around seven districts of Rajasthan as per the Chief Minister’s press release, including Amer, Jhalawar, Kota, Baran, Dhlopur, and a few others. Several news agencies have reported the incident related to this lightning strike in Jaipur. As time passed, the number of casualties appeared to have increased.
When did this incident take place?
This incident took place late on Sunday, the 11th of July 2021. A watchtower on Amer Fort’s hilltop, a 12th Century Fort in Jaipur. The reports came out around 7 pm IST (Indian Standard Time) as per NDTV.
The number of casualties mismatched due to the time frame and the extent of investigation carried out. As per the press release, the Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Mr Ashok Gehlot, announced a package of 2 Lakhs (Rs 200,000) to each injured in the incident on Sunday in over seven districts of the State of Rajasthan.
The press release also stated that “Shri Gehlot is addressing a review meeting with the officials of Disaster Management, Assistance and Civil Defense Department on Monday through video conferencing from the Chief Minister’s residence concerning the preparations for the monsoon.
The Chief Minister said that in case of any calamity, the Divisional Commissioner, District Collector and SP should be sensitive and immediately reach the spot and conduct relief work. The presence of senior officers on the spot made the operation of the remaining work done effectively. In this regard, instructions have been given to take strict action on the negligence of the authorities.” CM’s press release translated dated 12/07/2021 (was originally in Hindi).
We came across the tweet by Chief Minister of Rajasthan Mr Ashok Gehlot, stating, “Our government is with the affected in this very sad time. In the accidents caused by lightning in the state, instructions have been provided for the assistance of Rs 5 lakh to the kin of the dead and compensation to the injured as per rules. Instructions have been given to the officials to provide immediate assistance to the affected.”
The monsoon season in India starts in June & ends in September. Rains in India are not the same compared to the Eastern or the Western parts of Europe or the UK. It is pretty normal to see heavy rains in this region.
A warning for the tourists travelling and a lesson to learn
Avoid climbing up on the clock towers or higher areas during rain and thunderstorms.
