EXTREME WEATHER IN INDIA: SANDSTORMS, KILLER LIGHTNING, RED RAINS

LIGHTNING IN INDIA

Intense Lightning and Thunderstorm Activity Alert: satellite IR imagery and lightning observations from ILDN show intense thunderstorm and lightning activity over Central India, East India, and parts of West India

In 2018 the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh recorded 36,749 lightning strikes in just 13 hours. India's Meteorological Office began issuing lightning forecasts in 2019. Mobile apps now track lightning strikes and people are alerted via radio, television and volunteers carrying megaphones. The Lightning India Resilient Campaign initiative is working hard to raise awareness in lightning-prone villages and reduce deaths.[Source: Soutik Biswas, BBC, February 15, 2022]

However, the number of strikes has also risen sharply. According to a study by the non-profit Climate Resilient Observing Systems Promotion Council, India recorded more than 18 million lightning strikes between April 2020 and March 2021. This represented a 34% increase compared to the previous year. Satellite data gathered by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology also shows that the number of strikes increased rapidly between 1995 and 2014.

"Heating over land and moisture over water and aerosols due to air pollution create favourable conditions for thunderclouds to trigger lightning activity. As India gets warmer and more polluted, thunderstorms will increase," says SD Pawar, director of Thunderstorm Dynamics at Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology. Also, he says, the intensity of lightning is increasing.

In May 2020, Taj Mahal was damaged in a thunderstorm. AFP reported: A deadly thunderstorm that rolled across parts of northern India damaged sections of the Taj Mahal complex, including the main gate and a railing running below its five lofty domes, officials said. “"One sandstone railing which was a part of the original structure has been damaged," Superintending Archaeologist of the Archaeological Survey of India, Vasant Kumar Swarnkar, told AFP, . "One marble railing which was a later addition, a false ceiling in the tourist holding area and the base stone of the main gate has also been damaged." He added there was no damage to the main structure of the monument. Local media reports said thunderstorms and lightning killed at least 13 people in two Uttar Pradesh districts. [Source: AFP, May 31, 2020]

Deaths from Lightning in India

Around 2,500 Indians die from lightning strikes every year. More than 2,300 people were killed by lightning in India in 2018, according to the National Crime Records Bureau and at least 2,000 people have died in lightning strikes every year since 2005. One of the reasons cited for the high number of deaths is the large number of people working outdoors in India compared to other parts of the world, which makes them more vulnerable. [Source: BBC, June 26, 2020]

Cloud to ground lightning Bangalore

Lightning killed more than 100,000 people in India between 1967 and 2019, according to official data. This is more than a third of fatalities caused by natural hazards during this period. Men working in farms are most vulnerable. According to the BBC “The overwhelming majority of India's lighting victims live in villages and die after taking shelter under tall trees, according to studies conducted by Lightning Resilient India Campaign. Tribespeople who farm, fish and forage for a living are especially vulnerable. The campaign has cut lightning deaths by 60 percent in some states. “"But there's a lack of community driven safety awareness campaigns by governments to reach the really vulnerable people at hotspots like farms, jungles, sea, coasts, ponds, lakes and rivers," says Col Sanjay Srivastava, convener of the campaign.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that deaths by lightning strikes have doubled in the country since the 1960s — one of the reasons they cited was the climate crisis.“The data says lightning incidents have increased by 30 percent-40 percent since the early- to mid-1990s. In 2018 the southern state of Andhra Pradesh recorded 36,749 lightning strikes in just 13 hours. More than 100 people died in two states in June last year in lightening-related incidents. Officials say they are more common in areas with thinner tree cover, leaving people vulnerable to being struck. [Source: BBC, July 13, 2021]

“India aims to reduce the number of lightning deaths to less than 1,200 a year by 2022. Volunteers are holding awareness camps and telling people in far-flung villages to stay indoors and avoid running out into open fields to fetch grazing livestock during storms. They are telling them not to gather under trees, and keep away from power lines and metal fences. “But every year, in the skies above, there's more thunder and lightning. "It is terrifying. We live in fear," Ms Giri says.

People Struck By Lightning in India

In March 2021, four gardeners working in a condominium in Gurgaon, a suburb near Delhi, took shelter under a tree during a downpour. The BBC reported: “Within minutes, an orange flash raced down the trunk followed by pealing thunder. The four men fell to the ground. One of them died, while the others survived with burns. "I don't remember what happened to me and how it happened. In a matter of seconds, everything was destroyed," one of the survivors told a newspaper. [Source: Soutik Biswas, BBC, February 15, 2022]

In July 2021, a lightning strike killed at least 16 people and injured many more in Jaipur in northern India. The BBC reported: The victims were taking selfies in the rain on top of a watch tower at the city's 12th Century Amer Fort, a popular tourist attraction. Dozens have also died in lightning strikes in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh states.

“A senior police officer told the media that most of the people among the dead at the fort's tower were young.Twenty-seven people were on the tower and the wall of the fort when the incident happened and some reportedly jumped to the ground. Sunday alone saw nine more deaths from lightning strikes reported across Rajasthan state where Jaipur is located, according to local media reports.[Source: BBC, July 13, 2021]

“At least 41 people — mostly women and children — were reportedly killed in Uttar Pradesh state. The highest toll of 14 was recorded in the city of Allahabad (also known as Prayagraj). Two men, who were taking shelter under a tree, died on the spot after they were struck by lightning in Firozabad city. The remaining deaths occurred in several districts across the state.

At least seven died in Madhya Pradesh. Experts say casualty numbers are high in the two states because a large number of people work outdoors in agriculture and construction. The chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi have announced compensation for the families of those who died.

Lightning Hot Spots in India

In June 2020, more than 100 people in northern India were by dozens of lightning strikes across two states over a few days during the monsoon season.: The BBC reported: “The disaster management team in Bihar state said 83 were killed there, while another 20 were in hospital with injuries. At least 20 more people are reported dead in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh. The authorities have warned residents to be vigilant and stay indoors, as meteorologists forecast more bad weather. “Bihar's Disaster Management Minister Lakshmeshwar Rai told AFP this was one of the highest tolls from lightning the state had recorded in recent years. More than half the deaths were in the state's northern and eastern districts, he said. In Uttar Pradesh most of the deaths occurred in Deoria district close to the Nepal border and the holy city of Prayagraj, authorities said. [Source: BBC, June 26, 2020]

Many farmers working in their fields and children playing outside who were killed. The New York Times reported: The storms came as the yearly monsoon rains began in northern India, sweeping across the subcontinent and drenching cities and towns in their path. “Nature’s fury was at its worst today,” said Manoj Kumar Tiwary, a top police official in the state of Bihar. “Some were walking, some were working in fields,” he said, adding that the dead included “children playing in the courtyards of their houses.” [Source: Sameer Yasir, New York Times, June 25, 2020]

Pushpesh Singh, an official in Uchhati village in eastern Bihar, said that he saw villagers running for their lives after a tree was hit by a lightning bolt. One woman in a nearby field, he said, died while she was planting in her field. “Some people are still refusing to go back to their homes,” Mr. Singh said, “They are too frightened.”

Fatal lightning strikes are also relatively common during the June-October monsoon season in Madhya Pradesh state in central India.. In 2019, year, at least 150 people were killed by lightning in August and September in Madhya Pradesh. [Source: AFP, May 31, 2020; Soutik Biswas, BBC, February 15, 2022]

Although half-a-dozen states recorded a bulk of the strikes, three states - Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal - accounted for 70 percent of the deaths. "There are a lot of lightning strikes in our area. I still remember a seven-year-old boy getting killed when he went out during a storm to fetch their buffalo. Now we just try to stay at home," Sandhyarani Giri, a school teacher in West Bengal told the BBC. According to the BBC: “Ms Giri lives in a thickly populated fishing village in Fraserganj bordering Bay of Bengal, some 120km (74 miles) south of the state capital, Kolkata. It's a lightning hotspot of sorts — about 60 people die every year due to lighting in the South 24-Parganas district, where her village is located. [Source: Soutik Biswas, BBC, February 15, 2022]

“The coastal villages present a landscape of land and water: farms, ponds and tin-roofed and thatched homes. Living next to the sea can be precarious: cyclonic storms and tidal surges are common. Lightning is more likely to occur over land, but waters off the coast are most often affected.

So villagers have helped raise awareness and cut lightning deaths here by making cheap, homegrown lightning conductors to direct the electrical charge to the earth. “To make these conductors, villagers use second-hand bicycle wheel rims, bamboo and metallic wires. The rim is fixed on the top of a bamboo pole — sometimes up to 30 feethigh and acting as the lightning rod — which is strapped to buildings, mainly community centres and local schools. A thick metal pipe or wire runs down the length of bamboo. This makes sure that the electricity generated will pass to the earth without causing any harm.

Huge Sandstorm in India Blocks Out the Sun

Sandstorms and dust storms are common weather hazards in the arid and semi-arid regions of northwestern India, particularly in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, and parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. They occur when strong winds lift loose sand and dust from dry ground and carry it over large areas, often reducing visibility to near zero. These storms are most frequent during the hot pre-monsoon season from April to June, when temperatures are high and soils are dry.

The Thar Desert of Rajasthan is especially prone to sandstorms because of its sparse vegetation, loose sandy soils, and extreme heat. Strong winds associated with thunderstorms, low-pressure systems, and seasonal weather changes can generate large dust clouds that travel hundreds of kilometers. Temperatures during these events often exceed 45°C (113°F), creating favorable conditions for the movement of dust and sand.

In August 2020, In The Know, reported. a major sandstorm swept across western Rajasthan near the city of Jaisalmer. The storm produced a vast wall of dust that turned the sky orange and significantly reduced visibility across the region. The dust cloud extended for roughly 300 kilometers (186 miles) and affected numerous communities, including Poonam Nagar, Nehadai, and Mohangarh. Images and videos of the event attracted widespread attention because of the storm's size and dramatic appearance. [Source: Emerald Pellot, In The Know, August 8, 2020]

Dust storms can have significant economic and environmental impacts. They disrupt transportation, damage crops, reduce air quality, and increase the risk of respiratory illnesses. Strong storms may also damage buildings, power lines, and other infrastructure. Livestock are particularly vulnerable when exposed to intense wind, dust, and reduced visibility.

India has experienced several deadly dust storms in recent decades. In May 2015, a severe dust storm in Rajasthan caused at least 20 deaths and injured more than 80 people. The storm also killed livestock and damaged homes and property across multiple districts, including Bharatpur, Dholpur, Sawai Madhopur, Bikaner, and Jaipur. Similar storms occur regularly across northwestern India and remain a significant natural hazard for communities living in desert and dryland regions. [Source: PTI, May 22, 2015]

Red Rain in Kerala

Fom July 25 to September 23, 2001, the southwestern Indian state of Kerala experienced monsoon storms that included periods of heavy rain that was was crimson red in color. The colored began falling in the districts of Kottayam and Idukki in the southern part of the state. Yellow, green, and black rain was also reported. Numerous occurrences of the red rain were reported in late July and early August and then diminished in frequency until late September. The rain dyed beaches and leaves dark red and turned hanging laundry pink. [Source: Wikipedia]

Blood red rain also occurred in Wayanad district July 15, 1957 and coloredd rain was also reported in Kerala in 1896 and several times, most recently in June 2012. From November 15, 2012 to December 17, 2012 there was in eastern and north-central provinces of Sri Lanka. According to locals, the first colored rain was preceded by a loud thunder and flashs of light, and followed by groves of trees shedding shrivelled grey "burnt" leaves.

Shriveled leaves and the disappearance and sudden formation of wells were also reported around the same time in the area. The colored rain typically fell over small areas, no more than a few square kilometres in size, and was sometimes so localised that normal rain could be falling just a few meters away from the red rain. Red rainfalls typically lasted less than 20 minutes. Each millilitre of rain water contained about 9 million red particles.

Following a light-microscopy examination in 2001, it was initially thought that the rains were colored by fallout from a hypothetical meteor burst, but a study commissioned by the Government of India concluded that the rains had been colored by airborne spores from a locally prolific terrestrial green algae from the genus Trentepohlia. Heavy rains preceding the red rain event triggered widespread growth of these algae (which are heavily masked by orange-carotenoid pigments) on local trees, rocks, and structures, resulting in a massive, simultaneous release of spores into the atmosphere. Composition: Chemical analyses confirmed that the particles were entirely biological—composed mostly of carbon and oxygen, containing amino acids, and carrying verifiable DNA.

Before the biological explanation was widely accepted,several alternative theories were suggested: 1) Desert Dust from Arabian deserts or volcanic material from the Mayon Volcano eruption in the Philippines (Both were scientifically ruled out as the particles lacked the expected acidic or mineral properties); and 2) Physicists Godfrey Louis and Santhosh Kumar controversially proposed that the red particles were extraterrestrial cells delivered by an exploding meteor comet. They initially claimed the cells lacked DNA and could reproduce at an extreme 300°C (572°F). However, independent labs quickly debunked this by successfully extracting DNA from the spores, establishing that the phenomenon is a recurring, seasonal environmental feature native to Earth.

Fish Fall From the Sky in Manna, Kerala

In July 2006, residents of the village of Manna in the southern Indian state of Kerala reported that small fish fell from the sky for about 15 minutes. Witnesses said the fish, some measuring up to 5.5 centimeters (2.2 inches) long, landed on roads and open areas throughout the village. Residents collected many of the fish, some placing them in jars. [Source: AFP, July 25, 2006]

The event drew comparisons to the biblical story of manna from heaven, in which food was said to have appeared to sustain the Israelites during their journey through the desert under Moses. Local residents described the fish fall as extraordinary, and some viewed it as a miraculous occurrence.

Scientists, however, said there was a logical explanation for the event. According to researchers, the fish were likely lifted from nearby rivers, ponds, or waterways by a waterspout—a rotating column of air over water similar to a small tornado. The fish may then have been carried aloft and later dropped when the waterspout weakened or moved over land. Such events, sometimes referred to as "animal rain," have been documented in various parts of the world, although they are relatively rare.

Skeleton Lake and Killer Hail Storms in India

In what is generally regarded as the deadliest hailstorm on record, on May 1, 1888, hailstones are said to have killed 246 people in Moradabad, India. It is not clear how many were killed directly by hail impacts or where knocked out and then buried under hail, freezing to death. According to Paul Simon’s Weird Weather, on March 17 in 1939 a hailstone weighing seven-and-a-half pounds hit the ground in Hyderabad, India. [Source: Dylan Thuras, Atlas Obscura, September 26, 2010]

In 1942, a British forest guard discovered hundreds of human skeletons around a small glacial lake known as Roopkund in the Indian Himalayas, at an elevation of about 16,000 feet (4,900 meters). As seasonal ice melted, additional skeletal remains became visible in and around the lake, leading to questions about how so many people had died in such a remote location.

Research conducted on the remains, including an investigation by a National Geographic team in 2004, found that many of the individuals had suffered injuries to the head and shoulders. The pattern of the fractures suggested they had been struck by hard, rounded objects the “size of cricket balls” falling from above. Radiocarbon dating indicated that many of the deaths occurred around the A.D. 850.

Based on the evidence, researchers proposed that a large group of travelers crossing the high mountain valley was caught in an exceptionally severe hailstorm. The hailstones may have been large enough to cause fatal injuries, particularly because the exposed terrain offered little shelter. Estimates suggest that as many as 200 people may have died in the event.

Local folklore contains accounts of a mountain goddess punishing travelers with a deadly storm of hailstones, a tradition that may preserve a memory of the disaster. While some details remain uncertain, scientific studies have identified a severe hailstorm as the most likely explanation for many of the deaths at Roopkund, often referred to as "Skeleton Lake."

Image Sources: Wikimedia Commons

Text Sources: “Encyclopedia of World Cultures Volume 3: South Asia,” edited by Paul Hockings, 1992, National Geographic, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India,, CIA World Factbook, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Smithsonian magazine, Encyclopedia.com, Library of Congress, Live Science, The Conversation, The New Yorker, Time, BBC, CNN, Reuters, Associated Press, AFP, Lonely Planet Guides, Google AI, Wikipedia, The Guardian and various websites, books and other publications.

Last updated June 2026