Eighteen people were killed in separate incidents of lightning strikes across Bihar, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh on Friday. The maximum deaths – 11 people – were reported from Bihar. Thirteen people were also injured in the three states.
According to Bihar State Disaster Management Authority officials, six people were killed in Saharsa district, four in Darbhanga and one in Madhepura district. “The Bihar state government has ordered an ex gratia payment of Rs 4 lakh each to the kin of those who lost their lives in the lightning strikes,” said an official, according to the Hindustan Times.
In Uttar Pradesh, five people were killed in Jaunpur and Rae Bareli districts. Isolated places in the state received light to heavy rainfall. In Odisha’s Kendrapara district, lightning killed two people.
Heavy rains lashed Shimla and its adjoining areas. The meteorological department has warned of thunderstorm at isolated places in Himachal Pradesh’s Shimla, Solan, Sirmaur, Mandi and Kullu districts over the weekend. Light showers also brought down day temperatures in Rajasthan.
However, Punjab, Haryana and Delhi continue to reel under hot weather conditions on Friday. The weather department has predicted light rain in the national Capital on Saturday.
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