Lightning Strike Kills Poultry Farm Worker, Injures Five In Keralam’s Kozhikode

A lightning strike amid intense thunderstorms and heavy rain claimed the life of a poultry farm worker and injured five others in two separate incidents in Keralam’s Kozhikode district on Sunday evening, officials said.

The deceased was identified as Jaison Ilampulliyil , a resident of Mundumala in Koombara near Koodaranji. According to police and local reports, he was struck by lightning while working at a poultry farm in the hilly region of Kozhikode during severe evening weather conditions. He was rushed to a private hospital in Manassery but succumbed to his injuries. Another person injured in the same incident was admitted to a hospital in Omassery for treatment.

In a separate incident at Nerukumchal in Thamarassery , four women sustained injuries after lightning struck near their house during the storm. The women were shifted to Thamarassery Taluk Hospital, and officials said their condition remained stable. Some local reports identified the area as Puthupadi near Thamarassery.

The eastern high-range regions of Kozhikode witnessed heavy rain accompanied by thunder and lightning on Sunday evening, disrupting normal life in several areas. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had already issued warnings for thunderstorms, gusty winds, and heavy rainfall across Keralam, including Kozhikode, Malappuram, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod districts. Winds of up to 40-50 kmph, gusting to 60 kmph in some areas, were also forecast.

The latest tragedy comes less than a week after a deadly lightning strike at Kuranganchola hill in Malappuram district’s Mankada area killed four youths and injured three others. Kerala State Disaster Management Authority data shows that lightning has claimed 151 lives in the state since 2015, with 10 deaths already reported in 2026 alone. Officials have repeatedly urged people to avoid open spaces, hilltops, trees, and vulnerable outdoor locations during thunderstorms.