Patna: In a tragic incident, at least 24 people died while many others were injured after struck by lightning across Bihar amid inclement weather conditions in the last 24 hours, sources said on Saturday. The administration has confirmed the death of only nine people in the lightning strikes so far. Of the officially confirmed deaths so far, five people have died in Sasaram area of Rohtas district and four in Arwal.
Official sources said that the districts affected by the natural calamity include Patna, Rohtas, Arwal, Muzaffarpur, Nalanda, Aurangabad and Vaishali among others. Besides the nine deaths on Rohtas and Arwal, three people were killed by the lightning strike in Chhapra. Two people were killed in Aurangabad and East Champaran while one each was killed in Kaimur, Sitamarhi, Muzaffarpur, Patna, Vaishali Nalanda, Araria, Kishanganj, Banka and Siwan, official sources said.
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CM Nitish Kumar announces ex-gratia: Following the lightning incidents, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has directed officials to give a grant of Rs 4 lakh to the relatives of the deceased. Expressing deep condolences on the death of the people, Chief Minister Nitish has appealed to the people not to venture out unnecessarily during the rains. Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department has issued an alert for rain and lightning in 26 districts of Bihar today.
Orange alert issued in many districts: The Meteorological Department has issued Orange Alert in 26 districts of the state from Saturday. The department has warned of heavy rains in other districts for the next 24 hours including Patna, Saharsa, Khagaria, Madhepura, Madhubani, West Champaran, Bhagalpur, Purnia, Kishanganj and Araria. The Meteorological Department has issued an advisory for the people advising them not to take shelter under the tree during the rains to prevent harm due to lightning.
