Lightning strikes on the rise

A lightning strike during a thunderstorm over the city of Ajmer in Rajasthan, India. — AFP

THE residents of Gurwaith village in Indian Kashmir never used to fear thunderstorms, but in recent weeks, people have raced home or remained indoors at the sight of dark clouds overhead.

Lightning killed four villagers on May 6 – two people herding sheep and a couple working on their farm – marking the first time the area has experienced a lethal storm as climate change fuels the risk of more frequent strikes across India.