Unseasonal downpour claims over 90 lives in Bihar and UP, casualties in Nepal too

Over 90 people have lost their lives across India and Nepal after days of unseasonal and intense rainfall battered the region, bringing deadly thunderstorms, lightning strikes, and flash floods in its wake.

In eastern state of Bihar, at least 64 fatalities have been reported since April 9, a senior official from the state disaster management department confirmed. The toll is expected to rise as rescue and relief operations continue in waterlogged districts.

Neighboring Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state has also been severely impacted, with local media reporting over 20 deaths due to weather-related incidents, including house collapses and electrocutions.

In Nepal, officials from the National Disaster Authority said that at least eight people have died, primarily due to lightning strikes and flash floods triggered by relentless rain.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a multi-hazard alert midweek, warning of simultaneous heat waves in the western states and thunderstorms sweeping through central and eastern India.

The weather office now predicts continued heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds across affected regions until April 12.

These extreme weather events arrive weeks ahead of the typical June onset of the monsoon, highlighting the growing unpredictability of South Asia’s climate. In recent years, the summer months have seen an alarming spike in heat waves, leading to widespread fatalities and severe disruptions to daily life.

Just last week, the IMD warned that April would likely bring above-normal temperatures across most parts of the country — underscoring the dual threat of heat and unseasonal rain now facing millions across the subcontinent.