Hailstorms, lightning kill 61 in Bihar; Thunderstorms forecast to continue this week
By : Sandhya
According to officials cited by news agency PTI on Friday, rain-related occurrences in Bihar have resulted in at least 61 fatalities amid severe lightning strikes and hailstorms. The state Disaster Management Department stated in a statement on Friday that "the death toll due to lightning strikes, hailstorms, and rain-related incidents on Thursday climbed to 61 in several districts in Bihar."
With 23 fatalities, Nalanda reported the most of any district in Bihar. Bhojpur had six fatalities, followed by Siwan, Gaya, Patna, and Sheikhpura, each with four, Jamui with three, and Jehanabad with two. In the meantime, one death was reported in each of the following locations: Gopalganj, Muzaffarpur, Arwal, Darbhanga, Begusarai, Saharsa, Katihar, Lakhisarai, Nawada, and Bhagalpur.
The lightning strikes and thunderstorms also caused extensive damage to a number of houses. Nitish Kumar, the chief minister of Bihar, offered his sympathies for the deaths on Thursday and promised the deceased's surviving family members an ex-gratia of ₹4 lakh apiece.