In Bihar, 14 people were killed and four injured when lightning struck three districts of Aurangabad, Rohtash and Banka. The deceased persons were working in an agriculture field.

Met department has predicted heavy rains and lightning in the next 48 hours in different parts of the state.

People have been advised to remain indoors during natural calamities. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has expressed grief over incidents and announced an ex-gratia of rupees four lakh to the next of the kin of the deceased.

Kumar has ordered free treatments to injured persons.

 

IANS adds: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday predicted widespread rainfall activity, with isolated heavy falls, is very likely over northeast and sub-Himalayan, West Bengal, and Sikkim during next five days.

“Under the influence of likely prevailing of stronger southwesterly/southerly winds from Bay of Bengal in the lower levels over these areas, from August 11 onwards, the intensity of rainfall is very likely to increase over these areas and it is likely to be isolated heavy to very heavy falls in the region on August 11 and 12,” the IMD said in a release.

Fairly widespread/widespread rainfall, with isolated heavy falls, is very likely over Madhya Pradesh and east Rajasthan during next two days with significant reduction in intensity and distribution thereafter, IMD said. The area has been witnessing massive floods for the past week.

Fairly widespread/widespread rainfall is predicted over Uttarakhand, northern parts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Gangetic West Bengal during next four-five days. Subdued rainfall is very likely over peninsular India, including Maharashtra and Gujarat, but Kerala, Mahe and Tamil Nadu will get isolated heavy falls are very likely during next four-five days, the IMD said.

Heavy rainfall across India, based upon rainfall amount recorded from 8.30 a.m. on Saturday till 8.30 a.m. on Sunday, was reported from Gokarna (Uttara Kannada) – 18 mm, Alipurdwar, Singrauli, Jalpaiguri – 12 mm each, Lohardaga, Ranchi – 11 mm each, Burdwan, West Midnapore – 10 mm each, Purulia, Annupur, Darjeeling – 9 mm each, Balrampur, Sheopur, Shivmogga, Thanjavur, Jagganath Prasad, Kasargod, Dholpur, Jamshedpur, Giridh, Purnia – 8 mm each, Dhar, Sonepat, Patiala, Kottayam, Kozhikode, Bankura, Murshidabad, Hamirpur, Ganjam, Chintur, and Alwar – 7 mm each.