At least 83 people were killed across Bihar due to lightning on Thursday. The State Government officials late in the evening confirmed the deaths in various districts, with Gopalganj recording the highest number of casualties (13), while Bhagalpur and Siwan reported six deaths each. Eight persons each were killed in Nawada and Madhubani.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who summoned top officials of the Disaster Management Department, took stock of the situation and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh each for the next kin of those killed.
“Most of the deaths took place when the labourers were working in the field,” said a senior official, adding that more details and datas were being collected from the districts affected by lightning.
The Met Department had predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall, besides thunderstorm, in the State for the next couple of days. However, this is arguably for the first time that so many people died throughout the State in a single day due to lightning in the month of June.
Nitish, who expressed his condolences, has also asked people to “follow guidelines issued by the Disaster Management Department as the Met Department has predicted heavy rainfall for the next three days.”
Meanwhile, a red alert has been sounded for ten districts in Bihar for Friday. These districts are: East Champaran, West Champaran, Gopalganj, Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Supaul, Araria, Kishanganj, Purnia, Saharsa and Madhepura.