PATNA, July 12 (UPI Asia) – At least 14 people have been killed by lightning strikes in a northern Indian state, news reports said Thursday.
Officials said that the deaths occurred in villages in the districts of Bhagalpur, Jamui, Munger, Katihar, Patna and Purnia in the north Indian state of Bihar.
A state official said that five people were injured by lightning strikes and hospitalized.
Heavy rains and strong winds uprooted trees, damaged property and disrupted power distribution network across the state on Wednesday and Thursday morning, the Indo-Asian News Service reported.
Lightning strikes are common across the state in the June-September monsoon season and villagers living in poorly constructed houses are especially vulnerable to the strikes.
