As many as 36 more people have been reportedly killed in Bihar due to lightning strikes and hailstorms, bringing the total number of fatalities to 61, officials stated this on Friday.
Lightning strikes claimed 22 lives, while hailstorms and rain-related incidents claimed 29 lives on Thursday.
Officials further stated that after receiving data from other areas, the death toll increased from 25 to 61 on Thursday night. With 23 deaths, the Nalanda district reported the most fatalities.
Nalanda district reported the highest number of fatalities at 23.
The state Disaster Management Department stated in a statement on Friday that "the death toll due to lightning strikes, hailstorms, and rain-related incidents on Thursday climbed to 61 in several districts in Bihar."
According to the official statement, "Nalanda district reported the highest number of fatalities at 23, followed by Bhojpur (six), Siwan, Gaya, Patna and Sheikhpura (four each), Jamui (three) and Jehanabad (two). Gopalganj, Muzaffarpur, Arwal, Darbhanga, Begusarai, Saharsa, Katihar, Lakhisarai, Nawada and Bhagalpur districts reported one death each."
Several houses were damaged in the affected areas due to the lightning strikes and thunderstorms.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday offered his condolences to the affected families who lost their family members and also declared an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased.
As many as 13 people lost their lives to lightning strikes in four districts of Bihar on Wednesday.
According to the recent Bihar Economic Survey (2024-25) report, which was presented to the state assembly during the budget session in February this year, said, “The state witnessed 275 lightning/thunderstorm related deaths in 2023. Among the districts, the highest number of deaths were reported in Rohtas (25), Gaya (21), Aurangabad (19), Jamui (17) and Madhepura and Bhagalpur (16 each)."
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