Seven people were killed, including two children, when several tornadoes swept through central Iowa, destroying homes and knocking down trees and power lines in the state's deadliest storm in more than a decade, authorities said. Emergency management officials in Madison County said four were injured and six people were killed Saturday when one tornado touched down in the area southwest of Des Moines near the town of Winterset around 4:30 p.m. Among those killed were two children under the age of five and four adults. In Lucas County, about 54 miles (87 kilometers) southeast of Des Moines, officials confirmed one death and multiple reported injuries when a separate tornado struck less than an hour later. The state Department of Natural Resources said that person who died was in an RV at a campground at Red Haw State Park in Chariton, Iowa. Read: 6 dead as large tornado roars through central Iowa Thunderstorms that spawned tornadoes moved through much of Iowa from the afternoon until Saturday night with storms also causing damage in the Des Moines suburb of Norwalk, areas just east of Des Moines and other areas of eastern Iowa. The storms were fueled by warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico. Officials reported a number of homes were damaged or destroyed, roads were blocked by downed lines and tree branches were shredded by the strong winds. At one point, power outages affected more than 10,000 in the Des Moines area. About 800 customers remained without power Sunday evening. The storms are the deadliest to occur in Iowa since May 2008 when one tornado destroyed nearly 300 homes and killed nine people in the northern Iowa city of Parkersburg. Another tornado a month later killed four boys at the Little Sioux Boy Scout ranch in western Iowa. Northern Illinois University meteorology professor Victor Gensini said there have been plenty of examples of deadly storms in March even though they are more common in April and May. Saturday's storms were not nearly as unusual as the mid-December tornado outbreak that Iowa saw last year, he said. “The storms that produce these tornadoes — these supercell storms — they don’t care what the calendar says,” Gensini said. “It doesn’t have to say June. It doesn’t have to say May. They form whenever the ingredients are present. And they were certainly present yesterday.” Scientists have said that extreme weather events and warmer temperatures are more likely to occur with human-caused climate change. However, scientifically attributing a storm system to global warming requires specific analysis and computer simulations that take time, haven’t been done and sometimes show no clear connection. Gensini said Saturday’s storms likely caused more than $1 billion in damages over their entire track when the severe damage in Iowa is combined with wind damage as far away as Illinois. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation for Madison County, which allows state resources to be used to assist with response and recovery efforts. Madison County Emergency Management Director Diogenes Ayala said 52 homes were damaged or destroyed across nearly 14 miles. The White House said President Joe Biden was briefed Sunday on the storm devastation in Iowa. Biden reached out Reynolds and directed the leaders of the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency to remain in close contact with state and local officials as they assessed damage and determined what federal assistance was needed, the White House said in a statement. After touring the storm damage near Winterset, Reynolds described “unimaginable destruction.” Reynolds teared up as she described the hundreds of people who streamed into the area to volunteer their help to clear debris that blocked roads and littered the hardest hit areas. Homeowners and volunteers were picking up wood debris and beginning to clear it away Sunday in the rolling hills south of Winterset as chainsaws whirred away in the background. “It’s just unbelievable. I tried to walk through and thank them and over and over (and) the response was, we’re Iowans and that’s what we do,” she said. The foundation was all that was left of several homes. The tornado carved a path of destruction along a ridge while several hundred feet away other homes were undamaged. Read: Kentucky's death toll from tornadoes rises to 77 Ayala said emergency responders navigated narrow roads blocked by downed trees and debris Saturday night to help after the storm. “With trees and debris and everything around, just to go out there and start the search and rescue and get the people affected out of there, I cannot express the heroism of the first responders who were out there last night," Ayala said. Officials identified the six people who were killed in Madison County as Melissa Bazley, 63; Rodney Clark, 64; Cecilia Lloyd, 72; Michael Bolger, 37; Kenley Bolger, 5; and Owen Bolger, 2. The victims came from three different households. Lucas County officials didn't immediately identify the person who died there Sunday afternoon. Six people hurt in Madison County, which is known for the “Bridges of Madison County” book and movie, were being treated for injuries Sunday, but their conditions weren't immediately available. The National Weather Service in Des Moines said Sunday that the tornado that killed one person in Lucas County remained on the ground for more than 16 miles (25.75 kilometers) and rated an EF-3 on the Enhanced Fujita scale with peak winds of 138 mph. The damage assessment for the Winterset tornado isn't likely to be completed until Monday, but the Weather Service tweeted Saturday that initial photos of the damage there suggested that tornado was also at least an EF-3 tornado. Elsewhere, the National Weather Service said the storms generated an EF-1 tornado in southeastern Wisconsin near Stoughton that included winds up to 80 mph. The storm flattened trees, snapped power poles and blew out windows in homes. No injuries were reported.

Johnnie Brookwood had never heard of a road named Dixie when a wildfire began a month ago in the forestlands of Northern California. Within three weeks, it exploded into the largest wildfire burning in the U.S., destroying more than 1,000 homes and businesses including a lodge in the gold rush-era town of Greenville where she was renting a room for $650 per month. “At first (the fire) didn’t affect us at all, it was off in some place called Dixie, I didn’t even know what it means,” Brookwood, 76, said Saturday. “Then it was ‘Oh no we have to go too?’ Surely Greenville won’t burn, but then it did and now all we can see are ashes.” Read:Climate-fueled wildfires take toll on tropical Pacific isles Firefighters faced “another critical day” as thunderstorms pushed flames closer to two towns not far from where the Dixie Fire destroyed much of Greenville last week. The thunderstorms, which began Friday, didn’t produce much rain but whipped up wind and created lightning strikes, forcing crews to focus on using bulldozers to build lines and keep the blaze from reaching Westwood, a town of about 1,700 people. Westwood was placed under evacuation orders Aug. 5. Wind gusts of up to 50 mph (80 kph) also pushed the fire closer to Janesville, a town of about 1,500 people, east of Greenville, said Jake Cagle, the operations chief at the east zone of the fire. “Very tough day in there yesterday in the afternoon and the night (crew) picked up the pieces and tried to secure the edge the best they could with the resources they had,” he said in a briefing Saturday. With a similar forecast of thunderstorms Saturday, firefighters faced “another critical day, another challenging day,” Cagle said. The fire was among more than 100 large wildfires burning in more than a dozen states in the West seared by drought and hot, bone-dry weather that turned forests, brushlands, meadows and pastures into tinder. The U.S. Forest Service said Friday it’s operating in crisis mode, fully deploying firefighters and maxing out its support system. The roughly 21,000 federal firefighters working on the ground is more than double the number of firefighters sent to contain forest fires at this time a year ago, said Anthony Scardina, a deputy forester for the agency’s Pacific Southwest region. More than 6,000 firefighters alone were battling the Dixie Fire, which has ravaged nearly 845 square miles (2,100 square kilometers) — an area the size of Tokyo — and was 31% contained. “The size is unimaginable, its duration and its impact on these people, all of us, including me, is unbelieve,” Brookwood said while staying in her third evacuation center. Read:Wildfire bears down on Montana towns as West burns The cause of the fire has not been determined. Pacific Gas and Electric has said the fire may have been started when a tree fell on its power line. There also was a danger of new fires erupting because of unstable weather conditions, including extreme heat across the northern half of the West and a chance of thunderstorms that could bring lightning to Northern California, Oregon and Nevada, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. A fast-moving fire broke out Saturday afternoon east of Salt Lake City, shutting down Interstate 80 and prompting the evacuation of Summit Park, a mountain community of 6,600 people. Fire officials said the blaze was burning about 3 square miles (8 square kilometers) and threatening thousands of homes and power lines. In southeastern Montana, firefighters were gaining ground on a pair of fires that chewed through vast rangelands and at one point threatened the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation. The fires were caused by heat from coal seams, the deposits of coal found in the ground in the area, said Peggy Miller, a spokeswoman for the fires. Mandatory evacuation for the tribal headquarters town of Lame Deer remained in place due to poor air quality, she added. Smoke also drove air pollution levels to unhealthy or very unhealthy levels in parts of Northern California, Oregon and Idaho, according to the U.S. Air Quality Index. Hot, dry weather with strong afternoon winds also propelled several fires in Washington state, and similar weather was expected into the weekend, fire officials said. In southeastern Oregon, two new wildfires started by lightning Thursday near the California border spread rapidly through juniper trees, sagebrush and evergreen trees. The Patton Meadow Fire about 14 miles (23 kilometers) west of Lakeview, near the California border, exploded to 11 square miles (28 square kilometers) in less than 24 hours in a landscape sucked dry by extreme drought. It was 10% contained. Read:Wildfires in Algeria leave 42 dead, including 25 soldiers Triple-digit temperatures and bone-dry conditions in Oregon could increase fire risks through the weekend. Climate change has made the U.S. West warmer and drier in the past 30 years and will continue to make the weather more extreme and wildfires more destructive, according to scientists. Dozens of fires also are burning in western Canada and in Europe, including Greece, where a massive wildfire has decimated forests and torched homes.

Every year more than 150 people die in Bangladesh due to lightning. The number of casualties has also increased this year. Several people were killed in lightning strikes in Sirajganj, Chittagong, Patuakhali, Manikganj, Feni, Madaripur, Noakhali, Munshiganj, and Shariatpur this month (June 2021). Lightning also harms the environment so it’s a comprehensive problem that needs a full-scale approach. Reasons behind the recent increase in Lightning Struck in Bangladesh The Save the Society and Thunderstorm Awareness Forum has blamed the abnormal increase in lightning on global warming and a decline in the number of tall trees. Every degree increase in temperature increases lightning by 10 percent or more. Recently, the upper and lower parts of the dense black clouds are floating as two pools. As a result, the level of electricity flow between them is increasing and lightning is being created. The recent increase in the density of black clouds has resulted in an increase in the number of bolts of lightning in line with rainfall. Also read: Lightning strikes kill four in Dhaka amid rain Impacts of Lightning Struck during Thunderstorms Impact on people Lightning produces about 10,000 amperes of electricity which releases 50,000 Kelvin heat in milliseconds. That is why if lightning strikes a person directly, his/her body is charred before one sees it coming. According to the US public health agency CDC, people attacked by lightning suffer from burns, shock, and trauma. In some people, weakness, confusion, skin damage, and even stroke can occur. Lightning also causes heart attacks. Many people do survive a thunderstorm but none of them can lead a normal life. When lightning enters the brain, its heat and sparks burn the brain cells and render them useless. In the case of survivors, therefore, trauma, mental disorders, personality changes, etc. are observed. Also read: 9 killed by lightning strikes in Feni, Chattogram, Manikganj, Magura Ways to survive during Lightning Struck 1) April-June is the busiest period for thunderstorms. Lightning phases usually last for up to 45 minutes. It is advisable to stay at home at this time. 2) If one sees thick black clouds, refrain from going out of the house. Wear rubber shoes in case of emergency. 3) If in a paddy field or playground under the open sky, quickly sit with your head on your toes and your fingers on your ears. 4) As soon as possible to take shelter under the building or concrete tent. Tin sheds must be avoided. 5) If inside the car, keep the body as safe as possible from the metal part of the car. Take shelter under a concrete tent in a quick corner with the car. 6) Refrain from using all kinds of electrical appliances including mobiles, laptops, computers, TVs, refrigerators. If you get a hint of lightning, unplug them beforehand. 7) Refrain from using umbrellas with metal handles. In this case, you can use a plastic or wooden-handled umbrella. 8) If you are in the sea or river at this time, stop fishing and stay under the boat tent. 9) Do not touch the metal faucets, metal railings, pipes, etc. of the house. 10) If there are a few people together in a wide area, each move 50 to 100 feet away. Read 6 killed by lightning strikes in Feni, Chattogram Dangerous places for Lightning Struck 1) Open during thunderstorms such as paddy fields, fields, rivers, and high places are the most dangerous. There is a high probability of lightning in a passenger tent or a large tree in a wide-open space. 2) High trees or electricity poles are more likely to be struck by lightning, so it is not safe to be near trees or poles at this time. 3) If at home, don’t stand near the window. 4) If you are on the road, you must avoid frozen water and electricity. What to do if someone is injured by lightning Do not touch the injured person immediately. Otherwise, you too may get shocked. Try to bring back breathing with CPR as first aid. Massage the hands and feet continuously. Take him to the nearest hospital as soon as possible. Read Lightning strikes to kill 3 in Chapainawabganj The best way to stay safe from Lightning Struck Since lightning is a sudden natural disaster, there is no alternative but to be prepared for it in advance. 1) Identify the more disaster-prone areas and work to increase public awareness there beforehand. As the death rate is high in remote areas, warn farmers, fishermen, and those who work in the open by providing accurate knowledge about lightning. 2) The best way is to plant enough trees that grow taller quickly. In this case, you can plant more palm and coconut trees. Thus, as a result of afforestation, it will be possible to restore the balance in the weather. 3) Make sure to install lightning rods in every building in the city. 4) It is necessary to build high towers privately as well as in Government. The lightning will flow over the tower. The locality will survive. Read Lightning strike kills father, son in Sylhet Steps to take after Lightning Struck Since the central part of the country is more affected by lightning, the amount of damage to the people of that region is more. All sections of the government and the private sector should come forward to help them. Make sure that the injured receive proper treatment and that the families of the victims receive money and work to support themselves. Over to you In order to avoid lightning, one should seek help from God, since in this situation man has nothing to do immediately. Humans are also to blame for this disaster as activities like global warming and declining vegetation are caused by human beings' actions. But improving this situation is not impossible. Everyone needs to work together. Read Lightning strike kills farmer in Sunamganj

Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has forecast light to moderate rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty wind in many parts of the country commencing around  9 am on Tuesday. Read: Incessant rains: Parts of Chattogram city go under water “Light to moderate rain or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely to occur at most places over Dhaka, Mymensingh, Barishal, Chattogram  and Sylhet divisions and at many places over Rangpur, Rajshahi and Khulna divisions with moderately heavy to heavy falls at places over the country,”said a Met office bulletin. Mild heat wave is sweeping over the regions of Faridpur, Rajshahi, Pabna, Sirajganj & Kushtia and it may abate. Read:Lightning strikes kill four in Dhaka amid rain As per the synoptic situation, southwest monsoon has advanced up to Chattogram, Barishal, Dhaka, Sylhet and Mymensingh divisions. Conditions are favourable for further advancement of Southwest monsoon over remaining parts of the country. Monsoon is active over eastern part of the country and moderate over Northeast Bay, it added. Read:Rains bring much-sought relief from heat Day temperature may fall by (1-2)°C and night temperature may fall slightly over the country.  

Lightning strikes have killed 107 people in India’s Bihar and Uttar Pradesh states on Thursday.

Thunderstorms and showers brought some relief for firefighters battling deadly wildfires across Australia's drought-parched east coast on Wednesday, but also raised concerns that lightning will spark more fires before dangerous hot and windy conditions return.

Australia's unprecedented wildfires are supercharged thanks to climate change, the type of trees catching fire and weather, experts say and reports India Today.