Monsoon news: Heavy rain and water-logging at Patna in Bihar
Heavy monsoon rain battered Bihar and water-logging was reported from several parts of Patna, a day after lightning and thunderstorms killed many people in the state. There is red alert for heavy rain in the state today as well. The number of deaths due to lightning and thunderstorms in Bihar climbed to 92, the state Disaster Management Department said today.
Gopalganj in north Bihar reported 13 deaths and several injuries due to lightning during the thunderstorm on Friday, administrative officer Upendra Pal has confirmed, says a report in news agency ANI.
There is heavy rainfall warning in eight districts of Bihar today as well. "Siwan, Gopalganj, Sitamarhi, Darbhanga, Supaul, Araria, Kishanganj and Katihar will receive very heavy rainfall along with thunderstorms and lightning," a met department official said.
Heavy rain in Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh is due to a monsoon trough running from Punjab to east Bihar across Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, the IMD said, adding that very heavy rain is likely at some places in eastern UP during next three or four days. Red alert from heavy rain continues in the states of Assam, Sikkim, Himalayan foothills of Bengal and Meghalaya.
Monsoon has covered the entire country today, two weeks earlier than the scheduled date, according to the IMD. The monsoon usually hits Kerala on June 1 and it takes about 45 days to reach Sriganganagar in western Rajasthan, its last outpost in country.
In Odisha, monsoon has been active and the state has received 26 per cent higher rainfall than the normal at this time of the year.