Patna: Twelve people were killed by lightning strikes across four districts in Bihar in the last 24 hours, an official statement said on Thursday. According to the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), Gaya reported five deaths, Jehanabad (3), and Nalanda and Rohtas recorded two each.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed his condolences and announced an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased. He also urged people to adhere to advisories from the Disaster Management Department.
The latest Bihar Economic Survey (2023-24), presented during the state assembly's budget session in February, said the state saw 400 lightning-related deaths in 2022. The districts with the highest fatalities were Gaya (46), Bhojpur (23), Nawada (21), Banka (21), Aurangabad (20) and Nalanda and Kaimur, each with 18 fatalities.
The survey also noted that Bihar allocated Rs 430.92 crore for disaster management in 2022-23, with the largest portion - Rs 285.22 crore - dedicated to local disasters like lightning and drowning.
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