NEW DELHI, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- As many as 17 people, some children, have died in incidents of lightning strikes in different parts of Bihar state, India, in the last 24 hours, media reports said Wednesday.
According to a report by Zee News, four deaths were reported in the state's Kaimur district, four in Gaya, one in Katihar, three in Motihari, one in Ara and two each in Jahanabad and Arwal districts.
Several parts of the state have been witnessing heavy rains over the past 24 hours.
The Central Water Commission (CWC) on Wednesday issued a flood alert for all the districts in Bihar along the course of Ganga from Buxar to Bhagalpur.
In state capital Patna the water level of river Ganga rose 55 cm above the danger-mark. The city experienced torrential rains for five-straight hours, causing water logging in many areas such as Adalat Ganj, Kankarbagh, Sri Krishna Puri, Pataliputra and Rajendra Nagar.
