Six killed by lightning in Karnataka village

Mysuru: Six persons, including two women, died and four others were injured on Thursday when lightning struck them in this Karnataka district, said police.

"The incident occurred around 2 p.m. when a 10 member group rushed to take shelter under a tree near the temple in Hunaswadi village due to heavy rain and thunderstorm," Mysuru's Superintendent of Police Ravi Channanavar told IANS over phone.

The village in Periyapatna local body is about 40 km from Mysuru city.

"Of the victims, two women and two elderly men died instantaneously at the spot while the other two (youth) died at a government hospital in Periyapatna after they were admitted with burns," said Channanavar.

According to a met official, lightning strikes animals and humans when they are mostly under a tree or shelter due to electrical conductivity and earthing.

"The victims, who belong to the shepherd community, were in a farm field tending to their cattle grazing during the afternoon when the downpour began and lightning struck," added Channanavar.

Moderate to heavy rains occurred throughout the day in the region due to an upper air circulation and formation of cyclone in the Bay of Bengal.