Patna, 21 March (H.S.):

Two people died from lightning strikes late Friday amid ferocious winds pounding rain and hail across Bihar leaving farmers reeling from massive damage to standing wheat and vegetable crops in 13 districts including Patna.

Gaya bore the brunt with fatalities in Wazirganj and Dumaria: Manoj Singh 50 from Kolhna village and Mahendra Yadav 55 from Chakkarbhanda under Dumaria police station both struck down by bolts during the onslaught.

A palm tree in Patna's Bada area caught fire from a strike but no casualties there. Heavy downpours overnight hammered fields flattening wheat just as harvest neared while gusts and hail added to the woe.

The weather office sounded alarms Saturday for moderate thunder squalls lightning and 40-50 kph winds over the next 2-3 hours in Gopalganj Saran Siwan Vaishali Begusarai Jehanabad Lakhisarai Nalanda Nawada Patna and Shekhpura with similar warnings statewide.

Scientists pin the chaos on moisture streaming from the Bay of Bengal atop an active trough line fueling instability from daytime heat spikes—clear skies gave way to this mess by evening.

Kaimur sweltered at 36.9C max while Rajgir dipped to 18C coolest; action lingers through Saturday but eases post March 22.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar