In a tragic turn of events, Bihar has witnessed ten deaths attributed to lightning strikes within the last 24 hours. The Chief Minister's Office has confirmed the tragic development on Sunday (July 7), while elaborating on the death count reported from the districts. It said, "Nalanda district recorded two fatalities, while Vaishali, Bhagalpur, Saharsa, Rohtas, Saran, Jamui, Bhojpur, and Gopalganj each reported one casualty each."
CM Nitish Kumar announces compensation to the next of kin of deceased
Significantly, in the aftermath of the incident, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar swiftly announced financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and urged the public to exercise caution during adverse weather conditions.
Taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Kumar expressed his condolences, stating, "It is sad that 2 persons died in Nalanda, 1 in Vaishali, 1 in Bhagalpur, 1 in Saharsa, 1 in Rohtas, 1 in Saran, 1 in Jamui, 1 in Bhojpur and 1 in Gopalganj due to lightning. Deep condolences to the bereaved families. Rs 4 lakh each will be given as ex-gratia to the families of the deceased. People are appealed to be fully cautious during bad weather. Follow the suggestions issued from time to time by the Disaster Management Department. Stay indoors during bad weather, and stay safe."
Water level of rivers in Bihar rising due to incessant rain
It is pertinent to note that Bihar is grappling with the aftermath of heavy rainfall, which has led to a significant rise in the water levels of various rivers across the state. Officials reported that incessant rains in certain districts have caused rivers and streams to overflow. Additionally, rainfall in Nepal's catchment areas has contributed to rivers breaching danger levels at multiple locations.
Specifically, major rivers such as Kosi, Bagmati, Gandak, Kamla, and Adahrwa have seen rising water levels in recent days. The Kosi river has surpassed the danger mark at Supaul and surrounding areas like Basantpur, with similar warnings issued for Khagaria and Beldaur regions. The Kamla river has also reached warning levels in Madhubani, Jainagar, and Jhanjharpur, while the Parman river in Araria district crossed the danger threshold on Friday.
Meanwhile, the authorities have said that in the wake of the development, people living in low-lying areas have been shifted to safer places by the district administrations.
(With inputs from PTI)
