Several villages in Madhya Pradesh’s Panna district saw lightning strikes between Friday and Saturday, reportedly killing 8 people and injuring 18 others, the Times of India reported. This comes as many other Indian states have been reporting casualties due to lightning as the monsoon rains continue to pour heavily.

Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Panna district, Rachna Sharma, said in a statement that a 70-year-old man was struck by lightning when he was out grazing cattle in Simrakhurd village. The injured are being treated at Panna district hospital. Superintendent of Police, Dharmraj Meena told ANI that the treatment was underway and that the patients were in a stable condition. 

Sanjay Kumar Mishra, the Panna District Magistrate, further said in a statement, “All the injured people are being treated free of cost. The families who lost their loved ones have been given emergency compensation of five thousand rupees each for the last rites.”

“By Monday, the families of the deceased persons will be provided with a compensation of Rs 4 lakh each by the administration,” Mishra added.

According to district authorities, the incident took place at Ureha, Choumukha, Simrakhurd and Pipariya Daun villages of Panna district on Friday. Two women in their 20s were working in a field in Ureha village when they were struck by lightning as per the statement by district officials. 

Madhya Pradesh has observed lightning strikes for the second time in July now. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed his grief over the loss of 7 lives, announcing ex gratia of ₹2 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and ₹50,000 to the injured. The Prime Minister Office (PMO) had tweeted, “Deeply saddened by the demise of people. I express my deepest condolences to the families of the deceased: PM @narendramodi.”

​​The India Meteorological department has issued orange and yellow alerts, predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall, lightning, and thunderstorm in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday. The alerts are valid till Monday morning, India Meteorological Department’s Bhopal office senior meteorologist PK Saha told PTI.