At least 69 people have died this week in powerful thunderstorms that swept across eastern India’s Bihar state and parts of neighbouring Nepal, officials confirmed on Saturday (April 12).

Bihar’s disaster management authorities reported that 61 people were killed by intense lightning and thunderstorms over Thursday and Friday. 

In Nepal, eight additional deaths were recorded due to lightning strikes on Wednesday and Thursday, according to local disaster officials.

The India Meteorological Department has warned of more heavy rainfall in Bihar on Saturday, raising concerns of further damage.

While lightning and flash floods are common during South Asia’s monsoon season, scientists caution that global warming is intensifying the frequency and severity of such weather events.

A 2023 study led by researchers at Fakir Mohan University in Odisha highlighted a sharp rise in lightning-related fatalities in India, linking the trend to climate change. 

The report noted that lightning strikes killed 101,309 people between 1967 and 2020, with a significant surge in deaths recorded during the decade from 2010 to 2020.

India, the world’s most populous nation, now sees nearly 1,900 lightning-related deaths annually, making it one of the deadliest weather phenomena in the region.

Experts continue to call for greater investment in early warning systems and public awareness campaigns to reduce casualties from these increasingly frequent and lethal storms.

Source: Agencies 

BDST: 1300 HRS, APR 12, 2025
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