Thirteen cattle were killed in a lightning strike at Longkei village in Mon district, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services has confirmed following an on-site investigation.
Speaking to Mokokchung Times, Dr Manjan Konyak, Veterinary Assistant Surgeon (VAS)/Field Monitoring, said the department received information about the incident at around 5 pm on June 27, although villagers reported that the cattle had died on June 24 during a thunderstorm.
Following the report, a veterinary team comprising Dr Yato Konyak, Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, Dr Sikambo of the Mobile Veterinary Unit (MVU), and field assistants visited Longkei village on the morning of June 28 to verify the incident.
During the inspection, the team confirmed that 13 cattle had died. However, due to the four-day gap between the incident and the inspection, the carcasses were found in an advanced state of putrefaction and severe decomposition, making it impossible to conduct a formal internal post-mortem examination.
Despite the decomposition, the veterinary team observed external signs consistent with electrocution, including localized burn marks on the carcasses. Investigators also found a recently charred tree in close proximity to where the cattle were discovered huddled together.
“Based on the visible external trauma, the presence of the freshly struck tree at the site and the surrounding circumstantial evidence, the veterinary team has concluded that the 13 cattle died instantaneously due to a lightning strike,” Dr Manjan Konyak said.
The department said the inspection was carried out to verify the cause of death following reports from the village. The incident is expected to have caused significant losses to the affected livestock owners.