At least 33 people have been killed and dozens injured by lightning strikes during severe monsoon storms in eastern India this week, officials confirmed on Friday.
The fatalities occurred between Wednesday and Thursday in Bihar state, where heavy rains and lightning battered the region. Most of the victims were farmers and laborers caught in the open during the storms, according to the state’s disaster management department.
Authorities have issued fresh warnings for more rain and lightning in the coming days. Disaster Management Minister Vijay Kumar Mandal said officials in high-risk districts had been instructed to raise public awareness and encourage precautionary measures.
The Bihar government has announced compensation of 4 million rupees (approximately USD 4,600) for the families of the deceased.
Lightning strikes are a persistent threat in the region, with 243 deaths recorded in 2024 and 275 in 2023. Eastern India, including Bihar, is also highly vulnerable to annual monsoon floods that displace hundreds of thousands and cause dozens of deaths each year.
The fatalities occurred between Wednesday and Thursday in Bihar state, where heavy rains and lightning battered the region. Most of the victims were farmers and laborers caught in the open during the storms, according to the state’s disaster management department.
Authorities have issued fresh warnings for more rain and lightning in the coming days. Disaster Management Minister Vijay Kumar Mandal said officials in high-risk districts had been instructed to raise public awareness and encourage precautionary measures.
The Bihar government has announced compensation of 4 million rupees (approximately USD 4,600) for the families of the deceased.
Lightning strikes are a persistent threat in the region, with 243 deaths recorded in 2024 and 275 in 2023. Eastern India, including Bihar, is also highly vulnerable to annual monsoon floods that displace hundreds of thousands and cause dozens of deaths each year.
