Cyclone Gulab: Met issues lightning alert in Bihar

PATNA: Light to moderate showers were witnessed in Patna and few other districts on Monday under the influence of cyclone Gulab, which has weakened into a depression. Weathermen have predicted similar rainy weather over the next 48 hours under the peripheral impact of the cyclone.Patna Meteorological Centre has also issued warning for thundering along with lightning for all districts over the next 24 hours. As per the India Meteorological Department (IMD) bulletin, the cyclone had weakened into a depression and the weather in states getting affected under its influence are primarily in peninsular India, including Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha and Maharashtra, among others. No warning for heavy rainfall has been issued for Bihar.An official at Patna centre said light to moderate showers were witnessed at one or two places in the state. The rainfall at Patna between 8:30am and 5:30pm on Monday was recorded at 0.8mm.“Few places in east Bihar and one or two places in rest of the state are likely to witness light to moderate showers,” he said.The IMD evening bulletin stated that the deep depression over south Odisha and adjoining south Chhattisgarh moved west-northwestwards and weakened into a depression and lay centred over north Telangana and adjoining south Chattisgarh and Vidarbha. The system is likely to move into northeast Arabian Sea and adjoining Gujarat coast by the evening of September 30.Lightning strike kills 2 girls: Two girls died when lightning struck them at Laruara village under Begusarai Mufassil police station area on Monday. The victims were identified as Muskan Parween (10) and Rahima Khatoon. Another girl, Mariam Khatoon (13), sustained serious burn injuries. According to the villagers, all the children were collecting dry leaves in an orchid when lightning struck them.