Lightning Strikes Fatalities Surge Amidst Bihar's Thunderstorms

Twelve people were killed by lightning strikes in Bihar within the last 24 hours, raising the death toll from such incidents since July 1 to 42. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced Rs 4 lakh compensation for the victims' families and urged residents to stay indoors during thunderstorms.

Twelve people lost their lives to lightning strikes in Bihar over the past 24 hours, according to an official statement released on Monday.

The unfortunate fatalities brought the total death toll from lightning strikes since July 1 to 42. Victims included 10 people who died on Sunday and nine on Saturday.

The Chief Minister's Office detailed that Jamui and Kaimur each reported three new deaths, Rohtas saw two fatalities, and Saharsa, Saran, Bhojpur, and Gopalganj each reported one death.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar extended his condolences to the bereaved families and announced an ex gratia compensation of Rs 4 lakh for the kin of each deceased.

In a preventive measure, Kumar appealed to the populace to remain vigilant and stay indoors during thunderstorms, while also urging adherence to advisories from the Disaster Management Department.

As per the Bihar Economic Survey of 2023-24, the state recorded 400 lightning-related deaths in 2022, with Gaya, Bhojpur, and Nawada experiencing the highest fatalities. The survey also noted a total of 9,687 deaths due to various natural incidents between 2018 and 2022.

The most common causes of fatalities in 2022-23 included drowning (1,132 deaths), road accidents (654 deaths), and lightning strikes (400 deaths).

Bihar allocated Rs 430.92 crore for disaster management in 2022-23, prioritizing local calamities like lightning and drowning, which received Rs 285.22 crore.

(With inputs from agencies.)