Nine killed in lightning strikes across three Bihar districts

At least nine people were killed by lightning strikes across Bihar's Banka, Lakhisarai and Patna districts in the past 24 hours, officials said. Five deaths were reported in Banka, three in Lakhisarai and one in Patna, with Rs 4 lakh compensation announced

Banka/Lakhisarai/Patna (Bihar): At least nine people were killed in lightning strikes in three districts of Bihar, an official statement said on Tuesday. The deaths were reported in the last 24 hours. Five deaths were reported in Banka, three in Lakhisarai and one in Patna district, the CMO statement issued this evening said.

The state government announced an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased, it added. Three women belonging to the same family were among the five people who lost their lives in lightning strikes in Banka.

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In Porai village in Bausi police station in Banka, Kushmi Devi (45), Rinku Devi (35) and Renu Devi (38), all belonging to the same family, died in a lightning strike while they were outside their home.
Suresh Yadav, a resident of Sirai village in Bausi block, was struck by lightning near a pond while heading to his field and died on the spot. In Kazi Kairi village in the same block, Sufiyana Khatoon (50) was returning home after delivering breakfast to labourers planting paddy in the field when she was struck by lightning and died.

Banka Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Ajit Kumar said that compensation would be provided to the victims as per disaster management protocols. Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary urged people to exercise caution and stay indoors during bad weather, apart from following the directions of the Disaster Management Department, the CMO statement read.