A herd of 18 elephants were found dead on a hill of Assam’s Nagaon district.  Even though the exact reason can only be revealed after a post-mortem, preliminary investigations suggest that the elephants were killed by a lightning strike as burn marks were found on their bodies along-with a number of burnt trees in the area.

It is suspected that the incident is a result of the storm that hit the area, the previous night.  The locals of the area found the carcasses and reported the incident on Thursday morning.

A team of veterinary doctors and forest officials have rushed to the area for further investigation. Forest Minister Parimal Suklabaidya said that it was a sad incident and explained the reasons for delay in autopsy stating that a bigger team cannot be taken up the hill due to the high ground.

The elephants were buried at the same spot as per customary last rites and the locals paid their respects with flowers. The remains were sent to the forensics department for further investigations, the reports of which are awaited.

 A Lightning strike is a threat during storms if stayed outdoors in an alleviated area.  A Lightning Warning System can be the most effective protection measure for wildlife safety. Proper animal shelters and standing on humid soil can help in preventing such mishaps.

We mourn the death of the elephants and wish them peace.

Source- The Indian Express