Rajasthan lightning toll at 23, Jaipur fatalities 12

JAIPUR: The death toll due to Sunday’s lightning across the state rose to 23, which included a 12-year-old boy who breathed his last in the city’s SMS Hospital on Monday. The boy was struck by lightning at Chanda Ki Dhani, a hamlet on the outskirts of Jaipur. There were no fresh lightnings on Monday.
A combing operation by the State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF) and civil defence was carried out at Amber Fort on Monday, but no bodies or injured were found.

As per the records of the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), Sunday’s lightning claimed 23 lives across the state and left 25 injured.
Chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday released an ex gratia amount of Rs 1.65 crore to the district collectors where casualties were reported and also for medication of injured. Gehlot has directed authorities to provide assistance of Rs 5 lakh each to the family of the deceased and Rs 2 lakh to each injured in lightning strikes in seven districts, an official statement said.
Rescue personnel look for survivors in the valley beside the rampart
“Dholpur has been given Rs 20 lakh, Sawai Madhopur Rs 10 lakh, Jaipur Rs 80 lakh, Tonk Rs 10 lakh, Kota Rs 25 lakh Baran Rs 10 lakh and Jhalawar Rs 10 lakh,” said an officer.
According to the data available with the SDMA, 11 persons lost their lives at Amber’s lightning incident while one 12-year-old boy died during early hours on Monday after he was hit by lightning at Chanda Ki Dhani, a hamlet on the outskirts of Jaipur on Sunday. “Jaipur reported 12 deaths, Kota
(4), Dholpur (3) while one death each was reported from Jhalawar, Baran, Sawai Madhopur and Tonk districts. As far as injured are concerned, Amber incident left 11 injured followed by Kota with eight while six got injured in Sawai Madhopur,” said Kalpana Agarwal, joint secretary, disaster management and relief department.
The combing operation continued at the watchtower and nearby areas of Amber Fort where police launched a drone search to find out if anyone was still trapped in the gorges near the area. “No fresh bodies or injured were found in our operation on Tuesday. The combing operation continued till 5.30 pm,” said Rahul Prakash, additional commissioner of police, law and order.
Meanwhile, mild to moderate showers and lightning were witnessed at many districts in the state including Sawai Madhopur, Tonk, Alwar, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bhilwara, Ajmer and Jaipur.