Thunderstorms and lightning in Bihar this week have killed at least 33 people and injured dozens, as per reports. The state disaster management department said the victims were mostly farmers and labourers working in the open.
Heavy monsoons this Wednesday and Thursday, accompanied by thunderstorms, led to deaths across eastern India. More heavy rain and lightning are forecast for parts of the state, as per AFP reports.
Bihar state's disaster management minister, Vijay Kumar Mandal, told AFP that officials in vulnerable districts had been directed to "create awareness to take precautionary steps following an alert on lightning".
The state government announced compensation of ₹40 lakhs to the families of those killed by lightning strikes.
The victims are reported to be from Nalanda, Vaishali, Banka, Patna, Sheikhpura, Nawada, Jehanabad, Aurangabad, Jamui, and Samastipur districts.
At least 243 died by lightning in 2024 and 275 the year before, according to the state government.
According to the Hindustan Times, India's eastern region, including Bihar, is prone to annual floods that kill dozens and displace hundreds of thousands of people during the peak monsoon season.
