At least 69 people have lost their lives in powerful thunderstorms that swept across eastern India’s Bihar state and neighbouring Nepal this week, officials confirmed on Saturday, as fresh warnings of more rain were issued for the region.
Bihar’s disaster management authorities reported that 61 people were killed during severe thunder and lightning storms that struck the state on Thursday and Friday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted another round of heavy rainfall for Saturday, raising concerns over further damage and loss of life.
In neighbouring Nepal, authorities said eight people were killed in separate incidents attributed to lightning strikes on Wednesday and Thursday. The fatalities were reported from various districts across the southern plains.
The IMD has issued advisories urging residents in vulnerable areas to remain indoors during storm activity, as emergency response teams remain on alert.
Although lightning and flash floods are common in South Asia during the monsoon season, experts say the growing frequency and intensity of such events reflect a disturbing trend. “Rising global temperatures are contributing to extreme weather events, including a significant rise in lightning strikes,” meteorologists and climate scientists have warned.
A study led by researchers from Fakir Mohan University in Odisha noted that lightning caused 101,309 deaths in India between 1967 and 2020. Alarmingly, the frequency of such incidents has sharply increased in the last decade. From 2010 to 2020 alone, nearly 19,000 fatalities were reported, with close to 1,900 deaths recorded annually — a grim toll for the world’s most populous country.
Climate scientists have called for urgent action to mitigate the effects of climate change and bolster public awareness campaigns, especially in rural and agrarian regions, where people are most vulnerable to lightning-related deaths.
In the wake of this week’s deadly storms, state officials in Bihar said relief and compensation measures are being coordinated, while rescue operations remain underway in rain-affected districts.
