Bad weather in India and Nepal, 69 dead in one week: “Victims of thunderstorms and lightning storms”

At least 69 people have died this week due to unusually intense thunderstorms in the eastern Indian state of Bihar and neighboring Nepal, according to authorities from both countries. In particular, the Indian Meteorological Department expressed concern and warned of further rainfall expected in the coming days. Thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds have been forecast for central and eastern India through Monday. These are unusual events for April, as the torrential rains associated with the monsoon usually begin in June. In Bihar alone, at least 61 people lost their lives in the last two days of the week, while in Nepal, eight people died due to lightning strikes.
The Indian Meteorological Department has already stated that April is expected to be much hotter than in the past, with above-normal temperatures in most of the country.
Last year, experts warned that climate change is fueling an alarming increase in lightning incidents in India, with 1,900 fatalities annually. Estimates by a research team led by Fakir Mohan University (in the state of Odisha) indicate that lightning caused 101,309 deaths between 1967 and 2020, with a sharp increase from 2010 to 2020.