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Bihar Storms and Lightning Kill Over 20 in 24 Hours

Severe storms and lightning in Bihar over the past 24 hours have killed over 20 people and injured several others. The worst-affected districts include East Champaran, Gaya, and Aurangabad, with casualties also reported from Vaishali, Sitamarhi, and Bhojpur. The Chief Minister's Secretariat announced an ex gratia compensation of Rs 4 lakh for each victim's family. Public outrage has emerged over negligence by the electricity department due to poorly maintained infrastructure.

Key Points: Bihar Storms: Over 20 Dead in 24 Hours

  • Over 20 dead from storms and lightning in Bihar
  • Worst-hit districts: East Champaran, Gaya, Aurangabad
  • Rs 4 lakh compensation announced for each victim's family
  • Public outrage over poorly maintained infrastructure
2 min read

Storms, lightning devastate Bihar: Over 20 dead in 24 hours

Severe storms and lightning in Bihar kill over 20, with worst-hit districts including East Champaran, Gaya, and Aurangabad. Compensation announced.

"Two women-Rakiba Khatoon and Nikhat Parveen-died after an electric pole collapsed during the storm. - Incident Report"

Patna, May 5

Severe weather conditions have wreaked havoc across Bihar over the past 24 hours, leaving more than 20 people dead and several others injured due to storms, heavy rainfall, and lightning strikes.

The worst-affected districts include East Champaran, Gaya and Aurangabad.

In response, the Chief Minister's Secretariat has announced an ex gratia compensation of Rs 4 lakh each for the families of the deceased.

The sudden weather shift followed a day of intense heat and humidity.

By late Monday afternoon, dark clouds gathered across multiple districts, and by evening, powerful storms accompanied by rain and lightning swept through large parts of the state.

Casualties have been reported from several districts.

Two people died in Barh in Patna district due to falling trees and collapsing walls, while East Champaran reported five deaths.

In Gaya, three deaths were recorded across the district, while Aurangabad reported three deaths due to lightning.

Additional casualties were reported from Vaishali (1), Sitamarhi (2), and Bhojpur (1).

In Sitamarhi, two women-Rakiba Khatoon and Nikhat Parveen-died after an electric pole collapsed during the storm.

One person, Ghulam Hussain, sustained serious injuries and is undergoing treatment.

The incident has triggered public outrage, with residents alleging negligence by the electricity department due to poorly maintained infrastructure.

In Rohtas, 25-year-old Balwant Paswan died after being struck by lightning at a worksite, while four others were injured.

A major disaster was narrowly averted at Azamnagar station under the Katihar Railway Division when a heavy tree branch fell onto a high-tension overhead wire carrying around 25,000 volts, sparking a fire.

Panic gripped passengers as smoke engulfed the platform area.

Train number 55708 (Katihar-Radhikapur Passenger) remained halted for nearly an hour before railway officials brought the situation under control and restored operations.

The widespread damage also disrupted daily life, with fallen trees and electric poles blocking roads, and the power supply remaining cut off for hours in several areas.

The India Meteorological Department had issued an alert earlier in the day, warning of storms, rainfall, and lightning activity across Bihar.

Authorities have urged residents to remain cautious and follow safety advisories as adverse weather conditions may persist.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

A
Ananya R
So sad to hear about Rakiba Khatoon and Nikhat Parveen dying because of a falling electric pole. 😡 This is classic government apathy - they keep blaming nature but poorly maintained infrastructure is the real killer. The electricity department should be held accountable. My heart goes out to the families.
V
Vikram M
The weather patterns are changing drastically - first scorching heat, then deadly storms. Climate change is real, folks. 🌩️ The IMD had issued an alert but how many people in rural Bihar even have access to such warnings? Need better early warning systems and more tree planting to prevent houses from being damaged.
S
Suresh O
Rs 4 lakh compensation sounds good on paper, but the real issue is prevention. 😕 Three people in Aurangabad died from lightning - there are simple safety measures people can take if educated properly. The government should run awareness campaigns in rural areas during pre-monsoon season. Also, why are power lines still hanging so low? Common sense!
N
Naveen S
The Azamnagar station incident shows how close we came to a major disaster. 😰 That overhead wire carrying 25,000 volts - imagine if it had fallen on passengers. Railway officials did well but these are avoidable situations. Overgrown trees near railway lines is a known issue. Bihar needs systematic tree trimming and infrastructure audits before monsoon every year.
P
Priya S
Such a tragic loss of lives. 💔 It's not just about the storm - it's about how unprepared we are as a society. In Bihar, most houses are kutcha and people work in fields. The government needs to provide better shelters and emergency response teams in

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