At least 47 people died, and several others were injured as rain, lightning, and hailstorms lashed several parts of the country on Thursday. While the rain brought much-needed respite from the scorching heat, nearly 50 people were killed or injured in rain-related incidents across Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand.
Bihar was the worst affected, with 25 deaths reported due to lightning and hailstorms across several districts. As per the Chief Minister’s Office, Nalanda reported 18 deaths, followed by two in Siwan, and one each in Katihar, Darbhanga, Begusarai, Bhagalpur, and Jehanabad.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh for the families of the deceased. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, however, claimed the toll was over 50 and urged the state to compensate affected farmers.
An ‘orange alert’ has been issued for several districts of the state including Darbhanga, Nalanda, and Patna. Heavy rainfall is forecast for Friday and Saturday in these areas. Patna recorded 42.6 mm rainfall till 5.30 pm Thursday, leading to waterlogging in several parts.
As many as 22 people died in Uttar Pradesh in different rain-related incidents across 15 districts. Fatehpur and Azamgarh reported three deaths each, while two deaths each occurred in Firozabad, Kanpur Dehat, and Sitapur. One death each was reported in Ghazipur, Gonda, Amethi, Sant Kabir Nagar, Siddharthnagar, Ballia, Kannauj, Barabanki, Jaunpur, and Unnao.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed officials to expedite relief measures and ensure compensation of Rs 4 lakh to the next of kin. He also called for the assessment of crop losses, safe storage of wheat, and immediate water drainage in waterlogged areas.
In Jharkhand, four people were injured in lightning strikes, including three senior citizens who suffered burns.
Heavy rain and hailstorms hit parts of Dhanbad, Hazaribag, and Koderma, damaging crops and uprooting trees. Daltonganj received 31.8 mm of rainfall, while Ranchi recorded 7.6 mm.
Heatwave conditions are likely to decrease significantly after the rain in Delhi. Light rain is expected in the national capital today, accompanied by thunderstorms and strong winds. No heatwave conditions are expected for the next six days.
According to the weather department, thunderstorm activity is likely to continue across eastern, northeastern, central, and northwestern India. Hailstorms are expected in Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Punjab.
Heavy rainfall is forecast over Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh. Squally winds are likely over Bihar and Jharkhand. In the southwest, thunderstorms are expected in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh, with heavy rain likely in Kerala. A dust storm is also expected in Rajasthan.
