18 Elephants Die As Lightning Strikes In Assam

In an unforeseen tragedy, at least 18 wild elephants including a calf were found dead atop Bamuni hills along the border of Assam’s Nagaon-Karbi Anglong district on Thursday. The forest department made a thorough investigation and revealed that the wild elephants could have been killed in lightning strikes during the rain last night.

Assam’s Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife), Amit Sahay, told that the tragic casualty took place on Wednesday near the Kundoli proposed reserve forest in the Kathiatoli range (a hilly area). And 18 elephants were found at two separate locations, he added.

“After local villagers informed us about the death of the elephants, we rushed to the spot only to find them lying on the ground. We have sent the carcasses for postmortem,” said a forest official. The Nagaon forest division is a remote area where 14 elephants were found atop the hill and four were found at the bottom of the hill.

Assam Environment and Forest minister Parimal Suklabaidya has said he is “deeply pained” by the incident. He visited the spot along with the Principal Chief Conservator Of Forests (wildlife) and other officials to take stock of the situation.