Patna (Bihar): As many as 26 people belonging to different districts of Bihar died due to lightning strikes.
Issuing an alert in Patna, Begusarai, Khagaria, Purnia, Bhojpur, Vaishali and Supaul districts of the state for the next two days, India Meteorological Department (IMD) has stated that lightning to moderate rainfall is expected in some parts of these districts in the next three hours.
According to the state disaster management department, the casualties were reported from eight districts including Patna, Samastipur, East Champaran, West Champaran, Sheohar, Katihar, Madhepura and Purnea.
Samastipur accounted for the highest number of seven deaths, followed by Patna (six), East Champaran (four), Katihar (three), Sheohar and Madhepura (two each) and West Champaran and Purnea (one each), the department said.
The bodies have been sent for post-mortem and the injured have been shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment.
IMD has asked people to avoid moving out of their houses.
On June 30, 11 people were killed by lightning strikes in five districts, while 83 such deaths were reported from 23 districts within a span of 24 hours on June 25.
Expressing grief over the latest fatalities, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ordered a payment of Rs four lakh as ex-gratia to the next of kin of each deceased.
He also appealed to people to remain "alert and vigilant and stay indoors" as far as possible during the bad weather, besides following the advisories issued by the disaster management department
Read:| Bihar lightning: Death toll reaches 105, CM announces Rs 4 lakh ex gratia
