Lightning claims 11 lives in Bihar
2 min readPATNA: Thunderstorm and lightening claimed at least 11 lives in different parts of Bihar on Friday.
Sources in Bihar State Disaster Management Authority said six persons were killed in Saharsa, four in Darbhanga and one in Madhepura districts.
Officials at the Patna Meteorological Centre said light to moderate rainfall occurred at many places in the state on Thursday night and Friday. Heavy rainfall also occurred at a few places in eastern parts of Bihar.
The places which witnessed showers on Friday included Madhepura, Purnia, Kursela in Katihar, Simri Bakhtiarpur, Bihpur and Sabour in Bhagalpur, Jhanjharpur, Hasanpur in Samastipur and Barh in Patna district.
Different parts of the state are likely to witness more such pre-monsoon weather activities as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) bulletin predicted scattered rainfall on Saturday and Sunday and fairly widespread rainfall over the next two days.
Weather experts claimed that showers and thunderstorm activities are usual immediately before the formal onset of southwest monsoon. Monsoon is expected to make its onset in Bihar around June 12, which is the normal date for the same. The rain- bearing winds normally enter Bihar through northeastern districts of Purnia and Katihar around June 10 and cover the entire state by June 12.
After making its foray into mainland India through Kerala coast on May 29, the southwest monsoon has covered a number of places along the western and eastern coast, including Goa, Karnataka and Rayalaseema, some parts of south Konkan, south- central Maharashtra, Marathwada, Vidarbha, south Chhattisgarh, south Odisha, entire Telangana, most parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh, among others.
The IMD stated that conditions were favourable for further advancement of southwest monsoon into some more parts of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and remaining parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh during the next 24 hours.
It further stated that thunderstorm accompanied with gusty winds and lightning were likely at isolated places in Bihar on June 12.
Courtesy: TNN
