Second person killed by lightning strikes during thunderstorms in Nineveh

NINEVEH — A 31-year-old woman was killed Monday afternoon by a lightning strike in a village near Mahalabiyah, west of Mosul, marking the second fatality from lightning in Nineveh province that day.

The woman was struck while tending livestock with two children, who were also injured in the incident. “A young woman has died, and two children were injured after being struck by lightning while tending to their sheep,” said Mohammed Al-Haidari, a resident of Mahalabiyah, speaking to 964media.

Earlier in the day, 32-year-old Younis Taha Khudair, a teacher from the village of Kani in the Nimrud subdistrict, was also fatally struck by lightning. According to a security source, Khudair was killed instantly.

The twin incidents have brought the lightning-related death toll in Nineveh to two, leaving local communities grieving the unexpected losses.

These fatalities occurred as Nineveh province faced heavy rainfall and thunderstorms on Monday. The Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology had issued forecasts predicting such conditions and advised caution during severe weather.

This year, lightning has resulted in multiple casualties across Iraq. In early May, five people were killed, and three others were injured by lightning strikes within just seven days.

Local authorities have urged residents to exercise caution during thunderstorms and to stay updated with official weather alerts to avoid further incidents.