Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: Extreme weather conditions struck several states of North India on Thursday, leaving a trail of destruction in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand. The sudden onslaught of thunderstorms, heavy rain, hailstorm, and lightning has severely disrupted normal life across these regions.
According to official reports, the death toll has risen to 52 across the three states — Bihar recorded 25 deaths, Uttar Pradesh 22, and Jharkhand 5 fatalities due to lightning strikes and storm-related incidents.
Massive Loss In Bihar
In Bihar, 25 people lost their lives, with Nalanda district being the worst hit, where 18 casualties were reported due to lightning and hailstorm. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed grief over the incident and announced ex-gratia compensation of ₹4 lakh each for the kin of the deceased.
The unseasonal rain and hailstorm also caused widespread damage to crops standing in the fields, with waterlogging in several areas. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an ‘Orange Alert’ for the next two days across districts like Darbhanga, Patna, Gaya, Supaul, and Nalanda.
Uttar Pradesh Records 22 Deaths
In Uttar Pradesh, unseasonal rain, hailstorms, and lightning strikes have killed 22 people. Additionally, 45 cattle have perished, and 15 houses have suffered structural damage. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed condolences and directed immediate relief and financial assistance to the affected families.
The state government has also announced compensation for cattle loss — ₹37,500 for large milking animals, ₹4,000 for small milking animals, ₹32,000 for large non-milking animals, and ₹20,000 for small non-milking animals. IMD has issued warnings of heavy rainfall and lightning for districts like Lucknow, Varanasi, Raebareli, Ghazipur, and Azamgarh.
Storm Hits Jharkhand Hard
In Jharkhand, five people were killed due to lightning strikes — three in Hazaribagh, and one each in Churchu and Gumla. The highest rainfall was recorded in Daltonganj at 31.8 mm.
Districts like Dhanbad, Hazaribagh, and Koderma witnessed heavy hailstorms, covering fields and roads with a blanket of ice-like hailstones. The severe weather destroyed crops and uprooted several trees and electric poles, causing extensive damage.
