Lightning Strikes Claim Twelve Lives in Bihar Over 24 Hours: CM Announces Ex Gratia

Twelve people were killed by lightning across four Bihar districts within the last 24 hours, with Gaya being the hardest hit. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed condolences and announced a Rs 4 lakh ex gratia for each deceased's family. The state has seen 400 lightning-related deaths in 2022.

Twelve people were tragically killed by lightning strikes across four districts in Bihar over the past 24 hours, as per an official statement released on Thursday.

The Chief Minister's Office (CMO) reported that Gaya witnessed the highest toll with five deaths, while Jehanabad accounted for three, and Nalanda and Rohtas recorded two fatalities each.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar offered his condolences and announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 4 lakh for the families of each deceased. He also urged residents to follow advisories from the Disaster Management Department.

According to the Bihar Economic Survey (2023-24), presented during the state assembly's budget session, the state experienced 400 lightning-related deaths in 2022. Gaya had the highest number of fatalities, followed by Bhojpur, Nawada, Banka, Aurangabad, while Nalanda and Kaimur saw 18 deaths each.

The survey highlighted that Bihar allocated Rs 430.92 crore for disaster management in 2022-23, with Rs 285.22 crore specifically earmarked for local disasters such as lightning and drowning.

(With inputs from agencies.)