Eleven people have died in India after being struck by lightning at a popular tourist attraction.
The incident took place on the top of the 12th Century Amber Fort watchtower in Jaipur, Northern India, when the tourists were taking selfies, The Independent reports.
Officials confirmed on Monday (July 12) that at least 38 people had lost their lives in two Indian states because of lightning strikes over the past 24 hours.
"We have got confirmation about the death of 11 people from hospital authorities while another 12-15 persons are injured. Most of them sustained injuries as they jumped off the tower in panic," Jaipur police commissioner Anand Srivastava told media of the Amber Fort incident.
According to police, nine bodies were discovered at the Amber Fort, and the majority of them belonged to young people.
Watch footage of the deadly lightning storm below:"It was already raining when the people were there. They huddled in the towers as the rainfall intensified," said Saurabh Tiwari, a senior Jaipur police officer, per the Guardian.
He said that there were around 30 people on the tower at the time of the incident.
"Some of the injured were left unconscious by the strikes. Others ran out in panic and extreme pain," he added.
As well as the 11 victims of this incident, at least nine more people were killed and almost 20 others were injured when the state of Rajasthan was hit with thunderstorms and monsoon rains.
The 12th Century Amber Fort watchtower in Jaipur, where 11 people died while taking selfies, is pictured below.
The devastation didn't stop there, and a government official confirmed that an additional 18 people lost their lives in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday (July 11).
UP relief commissioner Ranvir Prasad told ANI that at least 30 people were also injured.
The Uttar Pradesh government said that the families of the victims would receive compensation of Rs 400,000 ($5,360), the Independent reports.
According to the National Crime Records Bureau, lightning killed 2,900 in India in 2019.
While the current monsoon season is essential for replenishing water supplies in South Asia, it is notorious for the death and destruction it also causes.
