Patna: Sudden changes in weather brought intense rain, strong winds and lightning to large parts of Bihar on Sunday, affecting daily life and claiming at least two lives.
Heavy downpours were reported from five districts, including Ara, while West Champaran witnessed not only heavy rain but also a hailstorm that turned the afternoon dark by 12 noon. Light showers were recorded in Bhagalpur. In East Champaran, strong winds toppled the water tank installed under the Nal Jal Yojana in Bhawanipur village of Purainia panchayat, disrupting drinking water supply in the area.
In other parts of the state, including Gopalganj, rainfall was accompanied by stormy winds. Overcast skies were observed in Araria, Buxar, Patna and Nalanda, with gusts of wind sweeping through these regions.
Tragedy struck late at night in Munger, where a person died after being struck by lightning during storms in Haveli Kharagpur and Madhuban Manjhi Tola of Dariyapur 2. Another fatality due to lightning was reported from Kotwa village in Gopalganj district, where 45-year-old farmer Satendra Chaudhary lost his life.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for 24 districts across Bihar, warning of thunderstorms, lightning and winds reaching speeds of 40–50km/h. The warning includes areas in north and east Bihar as well as the state capital, Patna. Thirteen districts, however, are expected to experience normal weather conditions.
Ashish Kumar, a scientist at the Patna Meteorological Centre, explained that such fluctuations are typical in the pre-monsoon period. “These changes are not sudden; we had forecast this weather earlier. The state is likely to witness similar conditions for the next four days,” he said.
Bihar ranks second in the country in terms of lightning strikes, with a disproportionately high number of deaths. Officials attribute this to a lack of awareness about lightning safety. Ashish advised people to halt outdoor activities for at least 30 minutes during adverse weather and seek shelter, as lightning can strike at any time—day or night.
