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© PTI
At least 15 people were killed in lightning strikes in Bihar during the last 24 hours, state disaster management department officials said on Thursday.

The department issued an alert on heavy rain and lightning in Patna and Vaishali districts. Officials said lightning deaths occurred in Aurangabad, Jehanabad, Saran, Rohtas, Nalanda and Jamui districts. Aurangabad recorded the maximum four deaths, including of three women.

In Jehanabad, three people were killed when they were working in a paddy field at Saren village in Tandwa area. The three were rushed to a hospital at Makdumpur where doctors declared them dead.

In Saran, a 48-year-old man died at Narvan village under Manjhi police station on Wednesday evening. The incident happened when he had gone outside the village for grazing his cattle. Lightning strikes also killed a 16-year-old boy at Rampur Kala village and 14-year-old boy of Kasina village under Garkha police station in Saran.

Two people died in lightning strikes in Rohtas district, and one death each was reported from Nalanda and Jamui. Bihar chief minister's office, however, confirmed the death of five people—three in Jehanabad and two in Rohtas.

Ex-gratia of Rs 4L

CM Nitish Kumar announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased. He also appealed to people to follow advisories issued by the disaster management department. Lightning strikes also killed a 16-year-old boy at Rampur Kala village and 14-year-old boy of Kasina village, Saran.