Five killed in lightning strikes across Assam in three days amid severe weather alert
Five people have died in Assam due to lightning strikes amid a severe weather alert. Authorities urge residents to stay indoors and take precautions to avoid further deaths.
- May 24, 2026,
- Updated May 24, 2026, 7:23 PM IST
At least five people have lost their lives due to lightning strikes across different districts of Assam over the past three days as the state continues to witness severe weather conditions accompanied by thunderstorms, heavy rainfall, and strong winds.
According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), three persons were killed by lightning on May 23 in Kokrajhar, Barpeta, and Golaghat districts. One death each was also reported from Udalguri district on May 22 and Dibrugarh district on May 21.
The ASDMA further stated that six animals were also killed due to lightning-related incidents during the same period.
Apart from lightning fatalities, several districts of Assam were affected by storms and strong winds on Saturday, leading to damage to houses and infrastructure. The affected districts include Goalpara, Bongaigaon, Sonitpur, Lakhimpur, Hojai, Dibrugarh, and Golaghat.
According to official reports, around 31 villages under 11 revenue circles suffered damage due to the storm activity. Local administrations and disaster management teams have been assessing the extent of destruction and monitoring the situation.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued fresh alerts for thunderstorms, lightning, and heavy rainfall in several parts of Assam over the coming days. Authorities have urged residents to remain cautious, avoid open fields during thunderstorms, and follow official weather advisories.
The recurring incidents of lightning-related deaths have once again highlighted the vulnerability of several districts in Assam during the monsoon and pre-monsoon seasons, especially in rural and open areas where people are exposed to severe weather conditions.
While Assam and several northeastern states are experiencing thunderstorms and rainfall, many parts of northern, central, and western India continue to remain under intense heatwave conditions.
According to the IMD, temperatures in several states have crossed 40 degrees Celsius, with heatwave to severe heatwave conditions reported from parts of Uttar Pradesh, Vidarbha, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Odisha, Punjab, and Andhra Pradesh.
The weather department has stated that heatwave conditions are likely to persist in several regions over the next six days.