A middle-aged couple in Baoji, Shaanxi province, were killed during a severe thunderstorm after they were allegedly electrocuted by an exposed power line while walking along a village road.
The incident occurred on the night of July 22 in Yongqing Village following heavy rain and thunderstorms that swept across the area.
According to the couple’s 21-year-old son, Mr Wang, his mother was the first to collapse after coming into contact with electricity. His father rushed to save her but was also electrocuted and died at the scene.
Mr Wang claimed there was a bare aluminium wire on the road and alleged that no residual current device (RCD) or leakage protection system had been installed. He believes his parents were fatally electrocuted by a fallen live wire.
He said his mother suffered severe electrical burns, with skin peeling from her right hand and extensive injuries to her right forearm. Mr Wang, a third-year university student, said he is now caring for his 11-year-old sister while discussions with the village committee over the incident are ongoing.
Local authorities confirmed the couple died from electrocution and said follow-up arrangements are being handled. Meanwhile, the Maying Power Supply Station stated that it was not responsible for the electricity supply in the area where the incident occurred.
The tragedy happened as Baoji was hit by extreme weather on July 22. Videos shared online showed hailstones, some measuring about the size of a coin, falling alongside torrential rain.
One resident said the storm began with heavy rain before hail lasted around 20 minutes, followed by another one to two hours of intense rainfall. Although his vehicle escaped major damage, several cars were reportedly left submerged in floodwaters.
Baoji Meteorological Observatory had earlier issued an orange hail warning at 8.35pm, followed by an orange rainstorm warning at 9.10pm, warning that several districts could receive more than 50mm of rainfall within three hours.
