A 19-year-old man has died after being struck by lightning in Kazakhstan’s Aktobe region, highlighting the dangers posed by severe summer storms sweeping across parts of the country.

The victim's body was discovered in a steppe area of the Martuk district on June 22. The police have launched a criminal investigation to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the incident, The Caspian Post reports via Kazinform.

According to preliminary findings, the young man was killed by a lightning strike during unstable weather conditions that have affected the region in recent days.

Police say forensic examinations and other investigative procedures are underway as officials work to confirm the cause of death.