Monsoon hit Bihar on Tuesday with a bang that brought death and devastation. No doubt the first showers brought big relief for the beleaguered farmers and their parched lands, but the accompanying lightning took a heavy toll of 57 lives across the State on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Such a high casualty due to thunder and lightning was unheard of in recent memory. Disaster Management principal secretary Vyasji confirmed the deaths and said the Government was providing a compensation of Rs4 lakh to the kin of each victim.
Most of the casualties were reported from Sasaram, Patna and Bhabua. In Patna district five people, including two women, in Bihta and Naubatpur. Over a hundred people have suffered burn injuries in the State who are under treatment.
According to reports a number of cattle heads also perished in the lightning. The reports of the loss of human lives came from Buxar, Aurangabad, Saran, Katihar, Saharsa, Purnia, Munger, Kishanganj, Nalanda, Gaya, Bhojpur, Samastipur and Champaran. In Munger, a father-son duo was killed by lightning.
On the first day of monsoon, heavy rain lashed almost entire Bihar with Purnia recording 83.8 mm rain while Patna received 17.2 mm rain.
In Uttar Pradesh also around 30 people died in lightning strike and 10 people lost their life in Jharkhand as tragedy struck from the sky.