Thunderstorms kill 47 people in India

Bihar was the worst hit, pounded by strong winds and thunderbolts.

“At least 19 people have been confirmed dead. 11 of them due to lightning,” said Yoginder Singh, a state disaster management official.

In Jharkhand, east of Bihar, 13 people died and six were injured in violent weather overnight, said Sushil Kumar, head of the state's disaster management department.

“Fifteen people were killed by overnight lightning and high speed winds,” said T.P. Gupta, an official from the Uttar Pradesh disaster management department.

Buildings collapsed, and trees and electricity poles were uprooted during the heavy weather across the eastern states of India.

All deaths have been reported over the last 24 hours, as winds reached speeds of up to 43mph.

Extreme weather in north India can occur at this time of year, as the intense summer heat begins to give way to annual monsoon rains.

Over 170 people died earlier this month as powerful thunderstorms ravaged several Indian states./.