Lightning strike kills selfie takers on tourist tower in India
Members of State Disaster Response Force conduct a search operation near the watchtowers of the Amer Fort on the outskirts of Jaipur on July 12, 2021, after at least 11 people were killed in lightning strikes at the fort. (Photo by AFP via Getty Imag
A lightning strike killed at least 11 people and as many as 18 people Sunday when it hit a watchtower where tourists were taking selfies in Jaipur, India.
The victims were reportedly taking selfies with the storm in the background at the 12th century Amber Fort, police said
They were among at least 38 people across two Indian states killed by lightning in just 24 hours, officials said on Monday.
Senior police officer Anand Srivastava said at, along with those killed at the watchtower, at least nine more people were killed and nearly 20 others were injured in separate lightning strikes when the state was lashed with thunderstorms and monsoon rains.
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In Uttar Pradesh, 18 people were killed by lightning on Sunday, said Manoj Dixit, a government official. Most of those killed were farm laborers working in fields.
The Indian Meteorological Department has warned of more lightning in the next two days. Lightning strikes are common during India's monsoon season, which runs from June to September.
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More than 2,900 people were killed by lightning in India in 2019, according to the most recent official figures available.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.