Nearly 50 killed by severe weather in India, Nepal

By Anadolu staff

Nearly 50 people have been killed in India and Nepal due to lightning strikes, hailstorms, and heavy rain, local media reported on Friday.

At least 25 people were killed in various areas of the eastern Indian state of Bihar on Thursday when the region was hit by lightning strikes and hailstorms, the PTI news agency reported.

The state's chief minister office also confirmed the death toll in a statement, but former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav claimed that more than twice that number had lost their lives.

"I am deeply saddened by the tragic deaths of more than 50 people in various incidents of storm, rain, lightning, tree and wall collapse in Bihar. I express my deepest condolences,” he wrote in Hindi on X.

At least 22 people were killed in various parts of Uttar Pradesh, the Hindustan Times reported.

A 9-month-old baby was also killed after lightning hit her at home in the Bajura district of Nepal’s Sudurpashchim province while her mother was injured, Rising Nepal daily reported on Thursday.

Rain and storms also caused power and telecom outages in the affected provinces.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid