India: 29 killed in Bihar in monsoon thunderstorms /update 1

Event

At least 29 people have killed and several others injured over the past three days by devastating thunderstorms caused by the southwest monsoon in the eastern state of Bihar, as of Wednesday, May 31. Some people died when their house collapsed, while other were killed by lightning strikes. Some 250 houses were damaged in Bihar.

Context

The tropical depression located over the Bay of Bengal intensified into Cyclone Mora on May 29, and made landfall in Bangladesh’s Chittagong division on May 31. The depression prompted early monsoon rains in northeastern India, including the state of Odisha.

India’s southwest monsoon starts in late May and continues through July, when the northeast monsoon takes over through September.

Advice

Individuals in the area are advised to keep abreast of weather forecasts. In the event of flooding, keep in mind that driving or walking through running water can be dangerous – 15 cm (6 in) of running water is enough to knock over an adult – and that floodwater may contain wastewater or chemical products; all items having come into contact with the water should be disinfected and all foodstuffs disposed of.