Bihar: Lightning causes several deaths around state in past 24 hours

In a major tragedy, 17 people have been killed in different parts of Bihar in the past 24 hours, due to lightning strikes, as per government reports released on Wednesday. The official report, released by the state's emergency lists the fatalities on a district basis. As per the reports, three each have died in Gaya, Kaimur, two each in Champaran (East), Siwan, Bhojpur,  Patna and Araval and one in Katihar.  No injuries have been reported.

Here is the government on the deaths:

Tragic: Eight children die in Bihar after lightning strikes tree amid flood

Bihar flood-like situation

Local news reports also state that Bihar has been witnessing a flood-like situation due to overflowing rivers caused by incessant rainfall in the past two days. The level of the Ganges at Patna's Gandhi Ghat has reportedly risen 55 cm above the danger level. Local reports also state that Patna experienced torrential rains for five hours, causing water logging in Adalat Ganj, Kankarbagh, Sri Krishna Puri, Pataliputra and Rajendra Nagar. Following the onslaught of rains, on Wednesday, the Central Water Commission (CWC) has issued a flood alert for all the districts in Bihar along the course of the Ganges from Buxar to Bhagalpur. The government body us also reportedly monitoring the situation closely.

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Earlier lightning deaths in Bihar

Earlier in July, eight children were killed after lightning caused a tree to collapse. Bihar was then already reeling under floods and underwent a severe Encephalitis outbreak which killed over a hundred children. In Bihar's Nawada district, owing to incessant rainfall and lightning causing a tree to fall on them leading to the death of eight children. Several children had been injured in the incident. The government had announced Rs 4 lakh ex-gratia to the families of the deceased.

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Floods across India

Since the onset of monsoon, the flood situation had been remained grim in parts of the northeast and Bihar. The death toll had mounted to 44 in July with 7 million people affected. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat were among some of the other states which were inundated by heavy rainfall. Recent IMD reports show that rains are set to continue two-three more weeks across the nation. 

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