Seven people, mostly farmers, were killed by lightning in a village in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh, police said, raising the state's death toll to 49 this week, AP reported.

Farmers were hiding under trees during heavy monsoon rain, when they were struck by lightning, they died instantly.

The high death toll prompted the government to issue new guidelines on how people can protect themselves during a thunderstorm, state government spokesman Shishir Singh said.

The monsoon season in India lasts from June to September.

Since April, lightning has claimed the lives of nearly 750 people across India.

Sunita Narain, CEO of the Center for Science and the Environment, said global warming is playing a role in the increase in lightning strikes. An increase in temperature by one degree Celsius increases the number of lightning by 12 times.

Deforestation, depletion of water bodies and pollution contribute to climate change, which leads to more lightning.

JP Gupta, director of the meteorological department, said thunderstorms and lightning have increased this year due to increased levels of pollution.