Relief from heatwave in Bihar turns deadly as storms, lightning claim 13 lives

After days of relentless heatwave conditions that pushed temperatures beyond 40°C across several districts, a dramatic shift in weather has brought both relief and devastation to Bihar.

The scorching spell has eased as pre-monsoon activity sets in, driven by moisture-laden winds from the Bay of Bengal and the influence of a western disturbance. This has triggered widespread atmospheric instability, resulting in light rain, thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds across the state — a pattern expected to persist until 3 May.

Despite the dip in temperatures, some regions continue to feel residual heat. Kaimur recorded the highest maximum at 33.3°C, followed closely by Gaya at 33.2°C and Rajgir at 33.0°C. In the state capital, Patna, overcast skies, light rain, and strong winds are forecast.

The Meteorological Department has issued a Yellow Alert across 33 districts, warning of thunderstorms and wind speeds reaching up to 40 kmph.

However, the sudden weather turnaround has come at a steep human and economic cost. Severe storms, heavy rainfall, and hailstorms that lashed the state from Wednesday night through Thursday left at least 13 people dead and more than a dozen injured across multiple districts, including Muzaffarpur, Madhubani, East and West Champaran, Sitamarhi, Samastipur, Darbhanga, Hajipur, Chhapra, and Begusarai.

Strong winds uprooted trees, electricity poles, and power lines, plunging large areas—both urban and rural — into darkness. Fallen trees blocked major roads, disrupting traffic for hours, while railway services were also affected in several sections.

Agriculture bore the brunt of the storms, with significant damage reported to mango and litchi crops due to hail and high winds.

Tragic incidents were reported from across the state. In Begusarai, a youth died after a newly constructed wall collapsed. In Hajipur, a six-year-old child was killed by a falling tree, while a similar incident claimed the life of an elderly woman in Marhaura. In Aurangabad, 50-year-old Akshay Ram was struck dead by lightning during a wedding procession.

Lightning strikes and falling trees caused further casualties in Madhubani, West Champaran, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, and Samastipur. In Sitamarhi, lightning reportedly triggered fires in several homes, adding to the destruction.

While the cooler weather has offered respite from the oppressive heat, the scale of damage underscores the growing volatility of seasonal transitions — where relief arrives hand in hand with risk.

With IANS inputs