India, June 14 -- A large tent collapsed during a Virginia church's 20th anniversary celebration on Friday evening, killing one person and injuring nearly two dozen others, officials said.

Heavy rain, lightning and strong winds tore through Moneta, a small community about 200 kilometres southwest of Richmond, as the EastLake Community Church was holding an outdoor service, Shelley Basinger, a spokesperson for Bedford County, said in a statement.

The group was in the process of leaving the event tent when it collapsed, according to Abbey Johnston, acting chief of Bedford County Fire and Rescue. Eleven people were taken to the hospital and 11 others had minor injuries and were treated at the scene, Basinger said.

"Initially, I'm told it ...