At least 100 lives have been lost since Wednesday in India and Nepal following an unexpected deluge of heavy rainfall, with weather authorities predicting further downpours in the coming days.
Despite monsoon rains typically arriving in June, the Indian Meteorological Department flagged multiple weather threats midweek.
These included intense heat wave conditions in western India, while eastern and central regions faced thunderstorms.
In Bihar, one of India’s eastern states, the impact has been especially severe. According to the state’s disaster management department, at least 82 people have died in rain-related incidents over the past two days alone.
Neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, also reported casualties. Eighteen people lost their lives in incidents linked to lightning and storms, officials confirmed.
Across the border in Nepal, extreme weather has proven just as deadly. Officials from the country’s National Disaster Authority stated that at least eight people were killed due to lightning strikes and heavy rains.
The IMD has forecast continued rainfall with thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds across eastern and central India through to Monday.
The frequency and intensity of heatwaves in India have been rising, and past summer seasons have proven deadly.
Just last week, the IMD cautioned that April would be hotter than usual, with above-normal temperatures predicted for most of the nation.
Among India’s natural hazards, lightning has emerged as the deadliest. According to the National Crime Records Bureau, it accounted for nearly 36 percent of all weather-related fatalities.
Between 1967 and 2020, lightning strikes claimed over 101,000 lives. Experts link the increasing death toll to the climate crisis, which has made rainfall more erratic and severe.
Deforestation and higher exposure, due to more people working outdoors, are also contributing factors.
A study by the Ministry of Earth Sciences revealed a startling 30 percent rise in lightning activity between 2020 and 2022.
“Warmer air holds more moisture and increases the energy available for storms. With more intense heating of land surfaces, we’re seeing stronger convection and cloud buildup, which can lead to more lightning,” Mahesh Palawat, vice president of meteorology at Skymet Weather, told The Independent.
