At least 107 people have died from lightning strikes in different parts of north, west and central Bihar on Thursday. Bihar’s Disaster Management Department said the highest death toll is reported from Gopalganj district, with 13 people killed. The rest of the deaths were recorded in 22 separate areas across the state.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences after lightning strikes and thunderstorms in Bihar killing around 100 people and causing widespread damage to property. PM Modi said that the state governments are working towards relief and rehabilitation.
“Received tragic news about death of several people in some districts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar due to heavy rains and lightening. The state governments are engaged in relief work with promptness,” he tweeted in Hindi.
बिहार और उत्तर प्रदेश के कुछ जिलों में भारी बारिश और आकाशीय बिजली गिरने से कई लोगों के निधन का दुखद समाचार मिला। राज्य सरकारें तत्परता के साथ राहत कार्यों में जुटी हैं। इस आपदा में जिन लोगों को अपनी जान गंवानी पड़ी है, उनके परिजनों के प्रति मैं अपनी संवेदना प्रकट करता हूं।
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 25, 2020
The state disaster management department, Bihar, said 23 districts of the state were severely affected. Uttar Pradesh has also been affected by the thunderstorms and has reported casualties. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh for the families of the victims.
Home Minister Amit Shah also tweeted expressing his grief on the loss of lives, “I am extremely saddened by the death of many people in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar due to heavy rain and lightning. Relief work is going on fast in both the states. I express my condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives in this disaster and wish the injured to be well soon”.
तेज बारिश और बिजली गिरने के कारण उत्तर प्रदेश और बिहार में कई लोगों के निधन से अत्यंत दु:खी हूँ। दोनों राज्यों में राहत कार्य पूरी तेजी से चल रहा है। इस आपदा से जान गवाने वाले लोगों के परिजनों के प्रति संवेदना व्यक्त करता हूँ और घायलों के शीघ्र ही स्वस्थ होने की कामना करता हूँ।
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) June 25, 2020
The deaths put a question mark over the lightning early warning system and mobile app Indravajra introduced by the DMD to warn people that an area could be hit by thunderbolts. An early warning system was implemented by the department with the help of US-based Earth Networks. The MoU for this was signed in August 2019. The system was installed to send early alert through the app for which a pact was done with Bangalore-based Qihou Solutions. The cost of the warning system and transmission of mobile alerts is being borne by the chief minister’s relief fund.