By Daniel Edu
In a heartbreaking incident in Bangladesh, sixteen family members en route to a wedding fell victim to a fatal lightning strike during a heavy storm. The groom, Mamun, shared the harrowing details of the tragedy that unfolded in August 2021.
As Mamun’s family journeyed to join him, adverse weather conditions compelled them to seek refuge under a tin shed along the riverbank. Tragically, lightning struck their shelter, claiming the lives of 16 family members.
Recounting the incident for the first time, Mamun expressed the chaos and despair that ensued. “Some people were hugging the bodies. The injured were crying out in pain… children were screaming. I was at a loss. I could not even decide who I should go to first.”
The 21-year-old groom lost his father, grandparents, cousins, uncles, and aunts in the devastating event. Miraculously, his mother, who was not on the ill-fated boat, survived the lightning strike.
Bangladesh frequently experiences lightning strikes, with climate change being cited as a contributing factor. The United Nations reports an average of 300 lightning-related fatalities annually in the country.
Md Mijanur Rahman, the director general of Bangladesh’s disaster management division, highlighted the connection between global warming, environmental changes, and living patterns as factors contributing to the rising death toll from lightning incidents.
