As many as 29 people have lost their lives due to lightning in the last 36 hours in Bihar. This is the highest death toll due to lightning this monsoon season. On July 20, 11 people were killed in lightning strikes across the state. Even as Jamui recorded maximum of eight deaths, Aurangabad saw 7 deaths. As many as 5 deaths were reported from Banka district. Two deaths were reported from Nalanda Sasaram and Bhagalpur. One person each was killed in Arwal, Katihar and Munger.
Bihar government has announced Rs 4 lakh ex-gratia compensation to the next kin of victims. State’s disaster management department has been started spreading awareness among those living in affected areas. The state government has asked people to avoid working in fields during rains.
In the meantime, death toll due to the floods in Bihar and Assam has gone up to 174. Close to 1.09 crore people have been affected due to floods in these two states, officials said. Even as water levels have receded in several districts of two states, two deaths have been reported have been reported in both states since Monday.
Both casualties in Bihar were reported from the Madhubani district, taking the death toll in the state up to 106. In Assam, the toll climbed to 68 as two more deaths were reported in Morigaon and Golaghat districts since Monday. Close to 28.01 lakh people were affected in 19 of the 33 districts of the state, officials said.
Even as flood waters have receded in Karbi Anglong and Biswanath districts, the deluge affected Lakhimpur and Baksa again, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) has said. In the Kaziranga National Park in Golaghat district the death toll of animals increased to 204, including 15 rhinos, since July 13, it added.
In Bihar, water levels have started receding in a number of districts, reducing the number of people taking shelter in relief camps, Disaster Management Department officials have said.