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Nearly 50 killed in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh as lightning strikes, hailstorms wreak havoc
At least 47 dead in lightning and rain incidents in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, with Bihar reporting 25 fatalities from storms.
At least 47 people were killed in lightning strikes and rain-related incidents across Bihar and Uttar Pradesh on Thursday, news agency PTI reported.
In Bihar, at least 25 people were killed in lightning strikes and hailstorms in several districts.
According to a statement issued by the Bihar chief minister's office (CMO), 18 deaths were reported in Nalanda, followed by two in Siwan, one each in Katihar, Darbhanga, Begusarai, Bhagalpur and Jehanabad.
On Wednesday, 13 people had died in lightning strikes in four districts of Bihar.
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar condoled the deaths and announced an ex gratia of ₹4 lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased.
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However, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav claimed in a post on X that over 50 people died in rain-related incidents across the state.
“I am deeply saddened by the tragic deaths of more than 50 people in various incidents of storm, rain, lightning, tree and wall collapse in Bihar. I express my deepest condolences. May God provide strength to the families affected by the disaster in this hour of grief,” he wrote in Hindi.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an ‘orange alert’ (be prepared) for a number of districts, including Darbhanga, East Champaran, Gopalganj, West Champaran, Kishanganj, Araria, Supaul, Gaya, Sitamarhi, Sheohar, Nalanda, Nawada and Patna. It also forecast heavy rainfall on Friday and Saturday in these districts, according to PTI.
22 killed in rain-related incidents in UP
In neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, at least 22 people were killed across 15 districts of the state after rainfall accompanied by hailstorms and lightning lashed several parts of the state.
Three people each were killed in Fatehpur and Azamgarh districts, two each in Firozabad, Kanpur Dehat and Sitapur districts, one each in Ghazipur, Gonda, Amethi, Sant Kabir Nagar and Siddharth Nagar districts. One each died in Ballia, Kannauj, Barabanki, Jaunpur and Unnao districts due to lightning, the relief commissioner’s office said.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath has instructed officials to immediately distribute permissible relief amount of ₹4 lakh to the families of the deceased.
Expressing condolences to the bereaved families, he directed officials to provide proper treatment to the injured and provide permissible assistance to those affected.
The Uttar Pradesh CM also urged officials to conduct a survey, assess the crop loss and send the report to the government, so that further action can be taken in this regard.
