At least 19 persons, including a number of women and children, were killed in incidents of lightning and thunderstorm in various parts of Bihar on Monday night, while as many as 15 people were killed in Uttar Pradesh.
The adjoining districts of Gaya and Aurangabad reported the maximum casualty—five deaths each—a release issued by the state disaster management department said on Tuesday.
Other deaths were reported from Munger, Katihar and Nawada districts of the state, it said.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar condoled the deaths caused by nature's fury and issued instructions for expeditious disbursement of ex-gratia.
Deaths in UP
In Uttar Pradesh, as many as 15 people were killed and 10 others were injured in lightning and thunderstorm.
"While six persons were killed in Unnao in incidents of thunderstorm and lightning last night, three persons died in Raebareli, and two each in Kanpur, Pilibhit and Gonda districts," UP Relief Commissioner Sanjay Kumar said.
Among those injured, four belonged to Unnao and three each from Kannauj and Raebareli, he said, adding that the incident also damaged some huts in Unnao and Rae Bareli districts of the northern state.
Respective district magistrates have been directed to undertake rescue works and ensure distribution of relief in 24 hours, Principal Secretary (Information) Awanish Awasthi said.
Unnao DM Ravikumar said while two deaths were caused due to lightning, others died in incidents of house collapse, uprooting of trees and electric poles.
Movement of traffic on the main Hardoi-Unnao road was hit because of uprooted trees, which were later removed, the DM said, adding that normal life was affected in several parts of the district.
The MeT department has warned of rain or thunderstorm at isolated places in the state in the next two days.
Incidents of thunderstorm in various states of the country this month have left a spate of destruction.
On May 2-3, a storm had killed 134 people and injured over 400 in five states. Uttar Pradesh was the worst hit, accounting for 80 deaths, most of them in Agra district.
At least 18 people lost their lives in the thunderstorm that struck on May 9 and May 10. Fifty one people died in similar incidents on May 14.