Bihar Lightning Tragedy: Nine Dead, Several Injured as Thunderstorms Lash State

Patna: At least nine people lost their lives and several others sustained injuries in lightning strikes across Bihar over the past 24 hours as sudden thunderstorms and rain swept through multiple districts, including Patna, Gaya, Vaishali, and Banka.

The victims, aged between 12 and 65, were caught outdoors during intense evening storms, which struck between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Sunday, officials said.

The worst-hit district was Banka, where four individuals died due to lightning. The deceased include 12-year-old Kareena Kumari from Kohkara, Anil Yadav from Amarpur, Sulekha Devi from Fuldidumar, and cattle farmer Vijay Yadav from Belhar. A Kanwaria teenager was also injured near Jilebia Mode in the district.

In Gaya, two bike riders — Ankit Kumar and Vikesh Kumar — died on the spot after a lightning strike near the Suryamandal checkpost. Another rider, Vakil Manjhi, suffered severe burns. In the district’s Mohda block, a cattle herder, Ruplal Yadav, also died while grazing animals.

In Patna’s Mokama area, farmer Pokh Narayan Mahato succumbed to injuries after being struck by lightning. A buffalo also died in a separate incident in Pandarak. Meanwhile, in Chakmasud village of Vaishali, a young girl died under similar circumstances.

District authorities have sent the bodies for post-mortem and are preparing to provide compensation to the affected families under the disaster relief guidelines.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a fresh alert for Bihar, citing the influence of a cyclonic circulation over Gangetic West Bengal and Jharkhand, which is triggering unstable weather across the region.