On July 11, 23 people were killed (and many more injured) when lightning struck a tower at a popular tourist attraction in Rajasthan, India. Meanwhile, in nearby Uttar Pradesh, another 42 people (mostly agricultural workers) died from lightning strikes. This pattern is enough to make you wonder, “What’s going on with the lightning in India?”
According to a report by the Indian government, 1,697 people died from lightning strikes between 2020 and 2021. But it’s important to note this phenomenon isn’t unique: Though these incidents are often in the news, India may not hold the record — at least not when you adjust for population. Malawi and Swaziland rank pretty high, too, according to a 2016 report by Vaisala, a Finnish company that provides meteorological services to the public and private sectors.
