10 killed as lightning hits 7 Bihar districts
According to the state disaster management department, three deaths were reported in Purnia, two in Begusarai while Saharsha, Patna, East Champaran, Darbhanga and Madhepura districts reported one death each.
At least 10 people were killed due to lightning strikes which accompanied heavy rainfall in Bihar on Sunday.
According to the state disaster management department, three deaths were reported in Purnia, two in Begusarai while Saharsha, Patna, East Champaran, Darbhanga and Madhepura districts reported one death each.
Chief minister Nitish Kumar condoled the deaths and announced ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the family of each victim. The CM has also appealed to the people to remain vigilant and follow the guidelines issued by the disaster management department.
In Purnia, three members of a family were killed when lightning struck their house on Sunday. The deceased have been identified as Kailash Mandal, 50, his son Dilkhush Kumar, and his daughter-in-law Nibha Devi.
In another incident, 40-year-old Arhula Devi died when lightning struck at her house at Ward number 7 of Chausa western panchayat of Madhepura district.
Another man, identified as Raj Kumar Sharma, 40, also died of a lightning strike in Akbarpur Benk village in Biraul block of Darbhanga.
In East Champaran’s Gaira village, Umesh Paswan, 25, succumbed to burn injuries while undergoing treatment at Sadar hospital in Motiharo. He was struck by lightning while catching fish, people at the hospital said.
On July 4, 21 persons were killed due to lightning strikes during heavy rainfall across the state even as several deaths have occurred last month in other rain related incidents.
Meanwhile, weathermen at Patna Meteorological Centre said that heavy to very heavy rainfall occurred in northwest and northeast regions in the state, while light to moderate rain lashed southern parts of Bihar.
Gaunaha in West Champaran recorded the maximum rainfall at 120 mm, followed by Udai Kishanganj and Bagaha (West Champaran), which received 90 mm rain, each, Triveniganj in Supaul recorded 80 mm, Gopalganj 60 mm and Bahadurganj, Purnia, and Dhengraghat (Sitamarhi) 50mm rain, each, in the past 24 hours. The capital city Patna recorded 20.4 mm rain till 5.30pm.
Meteorologist Ravindra Kumar said, “A monsoon trough at mean sea level is passing through Ganganagar, Rohtak , Fursatganj, Patna and thence towards the foothills of Himalayas. Under the influence, several north Bihar regions are likely to receive heavy rain coupled with thunderstorm and lightning while other districts may experience light to moderate rain.”
In the state capital, several localities witnessed heavy waterlogging on Sunday after heavy rains during the day.
(With inputs from Aditya Nath Jha, Bishnu K Jha and Sandeep Bhaskar)