Lightning kills 54 sheep, goats in Himachal Pradesh
Early Sunday morning, a lightning strike near Deothi village in Himachal Pradesh killed at least 54 sheep and goats from a migrating flock of about 650.
Three shepherds from Kinnaur district were camping nearby but thankfully weren't hurt.
Interim relief provided to herders
Officials quickly confirmed the loss and gave ₹50,000 as interim relief.
The survivors—Buddhi Singh, Kuldeep Negi, and Vinod Negi—said they're grateful no one was injured but are still facing big financial setbacks.
Vets checked the surviving animals and handled post-mortems for those lost.
More help needed for pastoralists
The herders are asking the state for more help and special support for pastoralists like them.
This incident is a tough reminder of how exposed livestock families are to sudden disasters—and why better safety nets matter for communities that depend on their animals.