At least 162 people lost their lives in lightning strikes across 12 Indian states between March and April 17, 2025 a shocking 184% jump from the same period last year. Bihar and Uttar Pradesh bore the brunt with April marking the deadliest lightning month in years.
184% Rise in Deaths Compared to 2024
According to data compiled by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), Down to Earth (DTE), and state disaster management authorities this March–April period is the most fatal for lightning since 2022. Last year only 57 lightning-related deaths were reported in the same time frame. This year, April alone accounted for 142 deaths five times higher than April 2024.
Bihar Epicentre of Lightning Catastrophe
Bihar reported an unprecedented 99 lightning deaths 61% of the total fatalities between March and mid-April 2025. In a chilling span of just six days (April 9–14) 98 people died, making it the state’s deadliest lightning month since records began. For perspective April 2020 saw 25 such deaths, while both 2023 and 2024 had zero fatalities during this period.
Historically a lightning hotspot Bihar ranked second in lightning-related deaths nationwide between 2014 and 2024. However most of those deaths usually occurred during the monsoon. The shift to early April signals changing and unpredictable weather patterns.
Uttar Pradesh 460% Spike in Lightning Deaths
Uttar Pradesh followed with 28 reported deaths 23 of them in just the first 17 days of April. This marks a 460% increase over the five deaths recorded in March April 2024. Notably there were no lightning fatalities in UP in April last year making this year’s spike even more alarming.
What Triggered the Lightning Surge?
Experts point to unusual atmospheric instability. Moist easterly winds from the Bay of Bengal collided with western disturbances and jet streams over Bihar and eastern UP. This triggered severe convective activity leading to massive thunderstorms and lightning outbreaks.
Colonel Sanjay Kumar Srivastava founder of the Climate Resilient Observing Systems Promotion Council (CROPC), stated, “These strikes were predictable. Warnings were issued three to four days in advance, but local authorities failed to act.”
Missed Warnings, Avoidable Deaths
Srivastava noted that awareness is as crucial as technology. In Nalanda alone, 23 people died after taking shelter under a tree and an old temple a known lightning risk. Despite early warnings through the SACHET mobile app many villagers ignored or didn’t receive alerts due to communication gaps and lack of public training.
Time for States to Step Up
Srivastava urged Bihar and UP to follow Odisha’s example, where measures like palm tree planting, better outreach, and rapid response systems have saved lives. He criticized the poor implementation of the National Disaster Management Authority’s protocols, calling for immediate reform.
“Lightning is natural, but deaths from it are preventable,” he said. “Preparedness is the only shield against this silent killer.”
India Changing Lightning Map
Climate experts warn that lightning patterns are shifting due to rising temperatures and erratic wind flows. The early onset of lightning deaths in April once considered unusual might soon become the norm unless climate resilience and public education improve across rural India.