NEW DELHI — Nearly 100 people have lost their lives since Wednesday (April 9) as heavy rainfall battered regions of India and Nepal, according to officials and media reports. The weather authorities have forecast more unseasonal showers for the area. On Wednesday, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a multi-hazard alert, warning of heatwave conditions in western India and thunderstorms in the eastern and central parts.

In Bihar, a senior disaster management official told Reuters that at least 64 people have died in rain-related incidents. Local news also reported over 20 fatalities in Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state. In neighbouring Nepal, intense rainfall and lightning strikes have claimed at least eight lives, according to the country’s National Disaster Authority.

The IMD predicts continued heavy rain, thunderstorms, lightning, and strong winds over central and eastern India through Saturday. India’s monsoon typically begins in June in the south, but recent summers have seen extreme heatwaves, leading to several deaths. The IMD also announced last week that April is likely to be significantly hotter than usual, with higher-than-normal temperatures expected across much of the country.

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