Patna, May 8 (IANS) A powerful storm accompanied by heavy rainfall lashed Patna on Friday, triggering widespread disruption across the city, officials said.
Strong winds uprooted trees in several areas, damaged vehicles, disrupted traffic movement, and caused power supply interruptions in multiple localities.
The impact of the storm was most severe around the official residence of Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary.
A massive tree fell just outside the Chief Minister’s residence during the storm.
Several other trees also collapsed near the residence of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, located behind the Chief Minister’s residence.
The fallen trees damaged multiple vehicles parked in the area.
Security personnel deployed nearby escaped narrowly, while some individuals are also said to have sustained injuries.
A large tree also fell within the premises of the RJD office in Patna.
At the time of the incident, Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav was present in his chamber.
After hearing the loud sound of the tree collapsing, he immediately rushed toward a meeting room along with his daughter and narrowly avoided harm.
The storm caused major traffic disruptions across several parts of Patna as uprooted trees and broken branches blocked roads.
Traffic movement was particularly affected near the RJD office and along Bailey Road, creating heavy congestion for commuters travelling toward the railway station and adjoining areas.
Several vehicles were damaged after trees and branches fell onto roads during the sudden storm.
Following information about the incidents, teams from the municipal corporation and disaster-response agencies reached affected locations and began clearing operations.
Police personnel and security forces were also seen assisting residents and moving people to safer locations during the storm.
Officials said that restoration work is underway to remove fallen trees from roads, restore normal traffic movement, repair disrupted electricity supply, and assess damage caused by the storm.
The sudden downpour and intense winds created panic among residents as trees collapsed across multiple neighbourhoods almost simultaneously.
Authorities are continuing efforts to restore normalcy while monitoring the situation in storm-affected parts of the city.
–IANS
ajk/khz