70 killed as rains lash Bihar, UP

According to reports “deaths due to lightning in Bihar were highest ever”.

At least 70 people have died in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh with nearly 60 perishing in the eastern state alone in lightning strikes and other rain-related incidents in the past two days even as heavy rains continued to lash parts of the country today.

Thunderstorms accompanied by heavy rains lashed Bihar since Tuesday killing 57 people, while 24 others sustained injuries, said Principal Secretary (state Disaster Management) Vyasji.

While six persons were killed in various parts of Patna district, five others died in Buxar district, he said.

Nalanda, Bhojpur, Rohtas, Kaimur, Aurangabad, Purnea registered four deaths each, while Katihar, Saharsa and Saran districts recorded three fatalities each, Vyasji said.

Patna received 21.2 mm of rainfall, while Gaya registered 62.8 mm of rain. Bhagalpur and Purnea received 88 mm and 97.2 mm of rainfall respectively, the state MeT office said.

The Bihar government later announced a compensation of `4 lakh for relatives of those who died due to thunderbolts and lightning. According to reports “deaths due to lightning in Bihar were highest ever”. According to sources five persons were killed in Patna, four deaths each was reported from Nalanda, Purnea, Rohtas and Kaimur. There are reports of three deaths each from Saharsa and Katihar.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar later said fluctuation in weather conditions can create a situation of flood or drought in the state and instructed officials to make arrangement of essential items well on time to deal with them.

In Uttar Pradesh, 13 people, including nine minors, have been killed in rain-related incidents in the past two days as many parts of the state received heavy rainfall.