By John Ikani
No fewer than 23 people were killed by lightning in India’s eastern state of Bihar, the South Asian country’s state-run broadcaster All India Radio (AIR) said on Saturday.
The deaths came after heavy rains and thunderstorms lashed the state in the last 24 hours, affecting six districts.
Most of the victims were farmers working in the fields when lightning struck.
According to a toll published by Bihar’s disaster management authority, eleven people were killed across several parts of the state on Friday in addition to the 13 who died over the preceding two days.
More heavy rains and lightning are forecast for parts of the state on Monday.
It is worthwhile to note that Lightning strikes are common in India during the June-September monsoon, which is crucial to replenishing regional water supplies but also responsible for widespread deaths and destruction each year.
Nearly 2,900 people were killed by lightning in India in 2019, according to the National Crime Records Bureau.
