PATNA: At least seven people were killed in lightning strikes across Bihar on Friday, chief minister Samrat Choudhary said.Choudhary directed officials of the Disaster Management Department to provide an ex gratia payment of Rs 4 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased.Several districts in Bihar were lashed by heavy rain accompanied by gusty winds and thunderstorms during the day.“Incidents of lightning strikes resulted in the untimely death of three persons in Gaya Ji district, two in Aurangabad, and one each in Saran and Khagaria. My deepest condolences for the bereaved families. May God grant peace to the departed souls and provide strength to the families during this difficult time,” Choudhary said in a post on X.The CM urged people to remain cautious during inclement weather and follow the guidelines issued by the department to protect themselves from lightning strikes.Earlier in the day, Choudhary directed the concerned departments to conduct a survey to assess crop damage caused by heavy rain and hailstorms in several districts.(With agency inputs)
