E-Paper
7 killed, 10 injured in lightning strikes and hailstorms in Bihar
Seven people, including four children, died in Bihar due to thunderstorms and lightning, with injuries reported among laborers and crop damage widespread.
Seven people, including four children, died at various locations in Bihar due to lightning strikes and wall collapse during thunderstorms and rains that began on Friday evening. Meanwhile, 10 labourers working in the Chintamani Tal area of Mokama sustained severe injuries after lightning strike.
A woman was killed and her two children injured after a tree fell on them due to hailstorms in Araria. Reports of livestock deaths and injuries are also emerging from several areas.
On Friday evening, two farmers—Mahendra Yadav at Chakrabandha and Manoj Kumar Singh at Wazirganj along with a buffalo, died after being struck by lightning while working in the fields in Gaya Ji district. Meanwhile, a 15-year-old girl died at Chakai, Jamui. On Saturday, two children died and one child was critically injured in Araria after a mud wall collapsed due to a severe storm.
A boy, aged 5, was killed due to mud wall collapse at Burha Paraiya village in Gaya Ji on Saturday afternoon
Motihari too witnessed hailstorms accompanied by heavy rainfall. Reports indicate damage to wheat, maize, mango, and litchi crops across several regions of Champaran, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, and Kosi.
The meteorological department has issued an alert for thunderstorms and rain across 25 districts of Bihar. A ‘Yellow Alert’ for moderate rainfall has been issued for 21 districts, while an ‘Orange Alert’ warning of heavy rainfall has been issued for Araria, Kishanganj, Katihar, and Purnia. Winds gusting up to 60 km/h are expected in these districts.
Since Saturday morning, light rainfall has been occurring in six districts, including Muzaffarpur, Raxaul, and Patna. Temperatures are expected to drop by 3 to 5 degrees over the next 48 hours.
According to weathermen, the primary reasons behind this change are moisture flowing in and an active trough line from the Bay of Bengal. Additionally, rising daytime temperature have led to increase atmospheric instability. This is why clouds are forming suddenly, creating a possibility of storms and rainfall.
As per the weather bulletin for Bihar, during the last 24 hours, heavy rainfall was recorded in Supaul, Samastipur, Begusarai, and Katihar districts of the state, while light to moderate rainfall was recorded in most parts of the remaining regions of the state.
