Thunderstorms cause casualties across S Punjab

Two persons died, two others suffered burn injuries after hit by lightning in Yazman tehsil of Bahawalpur during night

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MULTAN/BAHAWALPUR:

At least two people were killed and six others injured in due to heavy rainfall, thunderstorms and lightning strikes across South Punjab on Saturday night.

According to a Rescue 1122 spokesperson, two persons died and two others suffered burn injuries after they were hit by lightning in Yazman tehsil of Bahawalpur during the night. Police and Punjab Emergency Service officials said heavy rains followed by thunderstorm hit the Yazman area.

Four persons, including a man and his two sons, were sitting beneath a tree after sowing crops in their field when lightning hit them.

"The man who was a police constable and his elder son died on the spot, while the two others suffered burn wounds," the officials said.

A rescuers' team of the Punjab Emergency Service was dispatched to the spot where they provided the injured with first aid and shifted them to the Yazman Tehsil Headquarters Hospital.

The victims were identified as 50-year-old Constable Shaukat Ghumman and his 16-year-old son Umair.

The police official's 12-year-old son Zubair and 30-year-old Ahmad Hussain were injured. The victims were residents of Chak 98DB. The injured were reported by doctors to be out of danger.

In Muzaffargarh, a man was injured after a wall collapsed during the storm.

Meanwhile, in Rajanpur, lightning set fire to a palm tree, which was extinguished by rescue teams.

Multiple fire incidents caused by lightning were also reported in Dera Ghazi Khan.

In an incident, two women in Dera Ghazi Khan suffered minor injuries after falling from their beds in panic during lightning strikes, while a man fainted.