83 people in Bihar and 24 in UP lost their lives
Patna/Lucknow, June 26 (HS) Thunderstorms and lightening have wrought havoc in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, claiming 107 lives, leaving many injured and causing widespread damage to property, officials in the two states said on Thursday.
The lightning strikes were more devastating in Bihar, where 83 people lost their lives, according to the figures released by the Disaster Management Department in Patna. Gopalganj district accounted for the maximum number of casualties at 13. Other deaths were reported from Madhubani and Nawada (eight each); Siwan and Bhagalpur (six each); East Champaran, Darbhanga and Banka (five each); Khagaria and Aurangabad (three each); West Champaran, Kishanganj, Jehanabad, Jamui, Purnea, Supaul, Buxar and Kaimur (two each) and Samastipur, Sheohar, Saran, Sitamarhi and Madhepura (one each), it said.
In the neighbouring Uttar Pradesh at least 24 people died when they were struck by lightning on Thursday. Nine people were killed in Deoria, six in Prayagraj, three in Ambedkar Nagar, two in Barabanki, and one each in Kushinagar, Pratapgarh, Balrampur and Unnao, while 12 were injured, an official report released in Lucknow said.
Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and UP CM Yogi Adityanath announced ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh each to the families of those killed. Meanwhile, the weather department in Patna has forecast that inclement weather could persist for some more days.
