IMPHAL: Tragedy struck the serene landscapes of Manipur's southern territories as lightning unleashed its wrath, claiming lives and causing severe injuries. The tranquility of Yangdong Awang Leikai in Kakching was shattered when Huidrom Nilakanta, a 45-year-old farmer, met a sudden demise while diligently tending to his paddy field. The merciless bolt of lightning struck him at approximately 1:30 pm on Sunday, leaving behind a community plunged into grief.
Beside Nilakanta stood his wife, Romila, who narrowly escaped the same fate but not unscathed. Despite surviving the fury of nature, Romila suffered injuries amidst the chaos that ensued. Their shared endeavor in the fields was abruptly interrupted by an unforeseen tragedy, leaving behind a void that words cannot fill.
Meanwhile, in the neighboring district of Bishnupur, another farmer faced the wrath of the heavens. Lourembam Basant Singh, aged 53 and a resident of Lourembam Maning Leikai, was diligently engaged in his own paddy field when disaster struck. At approximately 4 pm on the same fateful Sunday, lightning mercilessly struck him, inflicting grievous injuries. Singh's ordeal stands as a testament to the indiscriminate nature of natural calamities, sparing neither age nor occupation.
These recent incidents add to a string of lightning-related tragedies that have plagued Manipur in recent days. Just a week prior, on April 11, 2024, the region mourned the loss of Telem Suraj, an 11-year-old boy whose life was tragically cut short by a lightning strike. Suraj's playful innocence was met with a cruel twist of fate as he frolicked in the vicinity of the Agriculture Quarters under the Lamphel police station in Imphal west district.
As the community grapples with the aftermath of these heart-wrenching events, there emerges a poignant reminder of the unpredictable forces of nature. These tragedies underscore the importance of vigilance and preparedness in the face of thunderstorms, urging communities to prioritize safety measures to mitigate the risks posed by such natural phenomena.
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