Lightning kills 18 elephants in Assam's forest

A herd of 18 wild elephants was killed after being struck by a bolt of massive lightning in central Assam's Nagaon district, officials said on Thursday. Nagaon district Deputy Commissioner Kavitha Padmanabhan said that a team comprising wildlife, forest and veterinary department officials went to the forest areas on Thursday to ascertain the exact cause of the deaths. Forest and wildlife officials said that the incident occurred on Wednesday night in the mountainous Kandali Proposed Reserve Forest. Assam's Chief Wildlife Warden M.K. Yadava said that 18 elephants have died and lightning is the most likely cause of death.