Lightning strikes in India's Bihar state leave 29 dead, 18 injured

A series of lightning strike incidents in various districts of the Indian state of Bihar has reportedly resulted in the4 deaths of 29 people while 18 students were injured.

In Madhubani, 5 people were killed; in Aurangabad, 4; in Supaul and Nalanda, 3 each; in Lakhisarai and Patna, 2 each; and in Begusarai, Jamui, Gopalganj, Rohtas, Samastipur, and Purnia, one death each was reported on Indian media.

In the village of Bathnaha, lightning struck farmers working in their fields, killing 2 instantly and leaving one in critical condition.

In another village, Domriya, 2 women were killed by lightning, and one man was severely injured.

Additionally, in Bhojpur district, lightning hit a school, injuring 18 students. Fortunately, there were no fatalities in this incident. The injured students were taken to a nearby hospital, where 2 were admitted to the intensive care unit, while the others are reported to be in stable condition.

The Bihar Disaster Management Authority reported that the number of fatalities due to lightning strikes this month has exceeded 50. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has announced a financial aid of 4 lakh rupees per deceased person and assured government-funded treatment for the injured.

Read At least 11 dead as heavy rainfall causes widespread flooding in India

Previously, at least 72 people died and thousands were displaced in India's northeastern state of Assam due to heavy rains, landslides, and floods over the past two months, officials reported on July 8.

According to a bulletin from the state's disaster management authority, as of July 8 evening, floods have affected 27 districts, impacting 1.8 million people.

In Assam's Kaziranga National Park, more than 100 wild animals, including the rare one-horned rhinoceros, have perished due to the floods, officials said.

Earlier on July 8, heavy rains caused flooding and disrupted road and rail networks in Mumbai, India's financial capital. Low-lying areas experienced waterlogging, leading to disruptions in suburban train services, an official statement said.