AFP, New Delhi :
At least 79 people have been killed by lightning in India over the past two days, disaster management officials said on Wednesday, as the annual monsoon rains sweep the country.
Lightning strikes are relatively common in India during the June-October monsoon, which hit the southern coast earlier this month, but this week’s toll is particularly high.
An overnight storm in the eastern state of Bihar killed at least 47 people and injured another 22, mostly in rural areas.
“We have confirmation of 79 deaths and fear the toll may go up as reports are pouring in from other districts”, Anirudh Kumar, a senior official at Bihar’s disaster management agency, told AFP.
Authorities in the neighbouring state of Uttar Pradesh said 20 people were killed over two days.
Lightning kills thousands of Indians every year, most of them farmers working the fields.
More than 2,500 people were killed by lightning in India in 2014 according to the National Crime Records Bureau, the most recent figures available.
At least 79 people have been killed by lightning strikes in the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh, officials say.
Fifty three people died in Bihar. Ten people were killed in the eastern state of Jharkhand, and at least 16 died in Madhya Pradesh.
Most of the people who died were working on farms during torrential rains on Tuesday, reports said.
Lightning strikes are common in India during heavy monsoon rains.
In Bihar, the deaths occurred in Nalanda, Aurangabad, Rohtas, Purnea, Munger, Gaya, Saharsa, Bhagalpur, Banka and Kaimur.
At least 2,000 people have died in lightning strikes in India every year since 2005, according to the National Crime Records Bureau.
India receives 80% of its annual rainfall during the monsoon season, which runs between June and September.
At least 24 others were injured when thunderstorms and monsoon rains lashed 14 districts of the state.
Disaster management official Vyasji said scores of cattle also perished after being struck by lightning.
The dead included at least eight shepherds watching their sheep, said Vyasji, who uses only one name. He told reporters that he expects the death toll to go up as reports come in from remote districts of the state.
Lightning strikes are common during India’s monsoon season, which runs from June to September. However, the toll in Bihar is unusually high.
After nearly 60 people were killed after being struck by lightning in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar chaired a meeting today of emergency response officials, as the state struggles to cope with heavy rain.
An overnight storm killed at least 56 people and injured another 24 in different parts of Bihar, mostly rural areas. Four deaths were recorded in the state capital of Patna.
Lightning strikes are relatively common in India during the June-October monsoon, which hit the southern coast earlier this month, but this week’s toll is particularly high.
In Patna and Rohtas,16 people were injured by the lightning.
“We have confirmation of 47 deaths and fear the toll may go up as reports are pouring in from other districts,” Anirudh Kumar, a senior official at Bihar’s disaster management agency, told news agency AFP.
At least 79 people have been killed by lightning in India over the past two days, disaster management officials said on Wednesday, as the annual monsoon rains sweep the country.
Lightning strikes are relatively common in India during the June-October monsoon, which hit the southern coast earlier this month, but this week’s toll is particularly high.
An overnight storm in the eastern state of Bihar killed at least 47 people and injured another 22, mostly in rural areas.
“We have confirmation of 79 deaths and fear the toll may go up as reports are pouring in from other districts”, Anirudh Kumar, a senior official at Bihar’s disaster management agency, told AFP.
Authorities in the neighbouring state of Uttar Pradesh said 20 people were killed over two days.
Lightning kills thousands of Indians every year, most of them farmers working the fields.
More than 2,500 people were killed by lightning in India in 2014 according to the National Crime Records Bureau, the most recent figures available.
At least 79 people have been killed by lightning strikes in the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh, officials say.
Fifty three people died in Bihar. Ten people were killed in the eastern state of Jharkhand, and at least 16 died in Madhya Pradesh.
Most of the people who died were working on farms during torrential rains on Tuesday, reports said.
Lightning strikes are common in India during heavy monsoon rains.
In Bihar, the deaths occurred in Nalanda, Aurangabad, Rohtas, Purnea, Munger, Gaya, Saharsa, Bhagalpur, Banka and Kaimur.
At least 2,000 people have died in lightning strikes in India every year since 2005, according to the National Crime Records Bureau.
India receives 80% of its annual rainfall during the monsoon season, which runs between June and September.
At least 24 others were injured when thunderstorms and monsoon rains lashed 14 districts of the state.
Disaster management official Vyasji said scores of cattle also perished after being struck by lightning.
The dead included at least eight shepherds watching their sheep, said Vyasji, who uses only one name. He told reporters that he expects the death toll to go up as reports come in from remote districts of the state.
Lightning strikes are common during India’s monsoon season, which runs from June to September. However, the toll in Bihar is unusually high.
After nearly 60 people were killed after being struck by lightning in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar chaired a meeting today of emergency response officials, as the state struggles to cope with heavy rain.
An overnight storm killed at least 56 people and injured another 24 in different parts of Bihar, mostly rural areas. Four deaths were recorded in the state capital of Patna.
Lightning strikes are relatively common in India during the June-October monsoon, which hit the southern coast earlier this month, but this week’s toll is particularly high.
In Patna and Rohtas,16 people were injured by the lightning.
“We have confirmation of 47 deaths and fear the toll may go up as reports are pouring in from other districts,” Anirudh Kumar, a senior official at Bihar’s disaster management agency, told news agency AFP.
