At least 83 people were killed today due to lightning in various places in Bihar and 24 in Uttar Pradesh, government sources said.
The Bihar government revised the death toll in the state due to lightning to 83 on Thursday evening. The government also released a district-wise breakup of the death toll. The most number of deaths were reported from the Gopalganj district.
Reports from Gopalganj said all the victims were farmers and residents of Barauli, Manjha, Vijaipur, Uchkagaon and Kateya localities. The lightning stuck when they were working in their fields.
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has announced a Rs 4 lakh ex gratia each for the families of those killed.
Thunderstorms and lightning have wrought havoc in Bihar over the past two days left many injured and caused widespread damage to property, the state disaster management department said.
An IMD release said thunderstorms are likely to lash all the 38 districts of the state over the next few days along with “heavy to very heavy rainfall” in the northern, flood-prone districts, bordering Nepal.
The Uttar Pradesh government reported that 24 people were killed in the state due to lightning. The most number of deaths in the state were reported from Deoria. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath has announced Rs 4 lakh ex gratia each for the next of kin.
