Bhopal/Shahdol: Two children were killed in a lightning strike on Tuesday in Madhya Pradesh's Shahdol district as several areas in the state received heavy rain and hailstorms, officials said. In Bhopal, strong winds uprooted trees in several localities. A six-year-old boy and a nine-year-old girl were struck by a bolt from the sky while collecting wood near a tree at Chhatwai village, resulting in their death, said Sohagpur police station in-charge Bhupendra Mani Patel. Both belonged to a tribal community, he said.
Hailstorms and thunderstorms hit several places including Bhopal, Vidisha, Raisen and other districts. A scientist at the India Meteorology Department's Bhopal office said a maximum wind speed of 74 kilometres per hour (kmph) was recorded in Bhopal, 48 kmph in neighbouring Sehore, and 43 kmph in Shajapur.
In East Madhya Pradesh, a maximum wind speed of 65 kmph was recorded in Singrauli and 50 kmph in Rewa among other places, he said.
The hailstorm with lightning and strong winds (70-90 kmph) is likely to continue over Narmadapuram, Pachmarhi, Betul, South Bhopal, South Sehore, Raisen, Sanchi, Bhimbetka, Jabalpur, Bhedaghat, Damoh, Narsinghpur, Seoni, and Chhindwara and Pench.
Moderate thunderstorms with lightning are likely to occur in south Vidisha, Harda, Sagar, Mandla and Kanha, Katni, Dindori and other areas.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav chaired a meeting and directed the district collectors to conduct a survey of crops damaged due to hailstorms and excessive rain. "A survey of farmers affected by the hailstorm and excessive rain should be conducted with seriousness and sensitivity. Appropriate relief amount should be made available to them," he said.
He said that all the ministers, MPs and MLAs should monitor the survey.
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