New Delhi - Saba:
At least 69 people have been killed this week by thunderstorms that struck the eastern Indian state of Bihar and neighboring Nepal.
The Bihar State Disaster Management Authority said Saturday that at least 61 people were killed by thunderstorms and lightning strikes on Thursday and Friday.
Eight people were killed in neighboring Nepal, disaster management officials told AFP, adding that they were struck by lightning on Wednesday and Thursday.
The Meteorological Department is forecasting heavy rains in Bihar state on Saturday.
Last year, experts warned that climate change was causing an alarming increase in deadly lightning strikes in India, which have killed nearly 1,900 people in the world's most populous country.
While flash floods and lightning kill thousands of people each year, scientists warn that global warming is causing a series of extreme weather events.