Ranchi, Jun 23 (PTI) Three persons, including two women, were killed in two separate rain-related incidents in Jharkhand’s Ranchi district on Monday, police said.
Two women died after being struck by lightning in Sonahatu area, while a 40-year-old man was killed when a wall collapsed on him when he was returning home with his two children from school.
The first incident occurred in Saodih village under Sonahatu police station area, around 60 km from Ranchi, in the afternoon. Two women were standing near a pond while grazing their cattle when they were struck by lightning, police added.
The deceased were identified as Ramni Devi, 61, and Draupadi Devi, 40.
Sonahatu police station in-charge Chandan Kumar said, "Both women were standing near a pond grazing their cattle when they were struck by lightning. A buffalo was also killed in the incident."
He added that the bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination.
The second incident took place in Bashartoli, within Lower Bazar police station limits in Ranchi city.
"The man, identified as Bablu Oraon (40), was returning home with his two children from school when a wall suddenly collapsed on them. All three were taken to a hospital, but the father succumbed to his injuries during treatment," said Lower Bazar police station in-charge Dayanand.
Heavy rainfall lashed Ranchi district on Monday afternoon, causing waterlogging on major streets and flooding in low-lying areas.
Ranchi recorded 44 mm of rainfall between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm on Monday.
Abhishek Anand, deputy director of the Ranchi IMD Centre, said light to moderate rainfall is expected across the state, including Ranchi, over the next four to five days.
"The trough situation in Jharkhand is favourable, and moisture flow from the Bay of Bengal is also contributing to the rainfall in the state," he added.
Jharkhand has recorded a 102 per cent surplus in rainfall from June 1 to June 23, receiving 247.4 mm of rainfall against the normal 122.6 mm for the period.
Ranchi recorded the state’s highest surplus at 265 per cent, followed by Latehar at 241 per cent.