DHAKA — A violent wave of seasonal "Kalbaishakhi" storms swept across Bangladesh on Sunday and Monday, April 26–27, 2026, unleashing a barrage of lightning strikes that has claimed the lives of at least 14 people and left dozens more injured.
The storms followed a week of record-breaking heat waves; a meteorological collision that experts say created the "perfect storm" for high-voltage atmospheric discharge.
The fatalities were spread across seven districts, with the northern region of Gaibandha suffering the heaviest losses. Most of the victims were farmers and day laborers caught in open paddy fields during the pre-monsoon harvest.
In Gaibandha alone, five people—including two teenage boys—were killed instantly while working in the fields. Similar tragedies unfolded in Thakurgaon, Sirajganj, Jamalpur, Panchagarh, Bogura, and Natore. "It happened in an instant," said a local resident in Jamalpur. "The sky turned black, and before the rain even started, the earth shook with the first bolt. There was nowhere to hide."
Lightning was declared a natural disaster by the Bangladeshi government in 2016, following a single day in May when 82 people were killed. Since then, the frequency and lethality of strikes have only increased.
The deadly spike in lightning fatalities stems from a combination of environmental and social factors. Deforestation has removed tall trees that once acted as natural conductors, while record-breaking April heat has supercharged humidity to fuel more violent storms. This leaves high numbers of outdoor laborers dangerously exposed in rural areas without access to proper lightning-proof shelters.
Known locally as Nor’westers, these pre-monsoon storms are a seasonal reality for Bangladesh. However, the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) warns that the current weather pattern is becoming more erratic.
Authorities have urged farmers to seek shelter immediately upon hearing thunder and have recommended the use of rubber-soled "gumboots" to reduce the risk of ground-current electrocution. With rain forecast to continue for the next 72 hours, the nation remains on high alert for further "fury from the heavens."
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