At Least 69 Killed as Severe Thunderstorms Batter India and Nepal

At least 69 people have lost their lives this week as unusually severe thunderstorms swept through eastern India’s Bihar state and neighboring Nepal, officials confirmed on Saturday.

According to Bihar’s disaster management authorities, 61 fatalities occurred across the state on Thursday and Friday due to powerful thunderstorms accompanied by lightning strikes. In Nepal, an additional eight people were killed as a result of lightning on Wednesday and Thursday, according to the country’s disaster management office.

Heavy rainfall is forecast to return to Bihar on Saturday, the India Meteorological Department reported.

While flash floods and lightning are common across the region during pre-monsoon months, experts are warning that climate change is driving a surge in extreme weather events, including more frequent and intense lightning storms.

A study conducted by researchers at Fakir Mohan University in Odisha noted a sharp rise in lightning-related deaths in India in recent years. Between 1967 and 2020, lightning strikes accounted for over 101,000 deaths, with a particularly steep increase recorded between 2010 and 2020. India now sees nearly 1,900 deaths annually due to lightning alone.

Scientists attribute this disturbing trend to rising global temperatures, which are disrupting weather patterns and triggering more volatile and deadly climate phenomena.