Ranchi, Apr 10 (PTI) At least four persons were injured in lightning strikes in Jharkhand, as rain accompanied with hailstorms lashed most parts of the state on Thursday, officials said.

A number of trees were also uprooted due to the gusty winds, disrupting traffic in some areas, they said.

Several places, including Dhanbad, Hazaribag and Koderma experienced hailstorms, causing damage to standing crops, the officials said.

Three persons – identified as Basanti Devi (25), Chetlal Yadav (70) and Munni Yadav (68) – were injured in lightning strikes in Chatra district. Chatra civil surgeon Dinesh Prasad said they were admitted to hospital and their condition is stable.

A 60-year-old woman, Malti Devi, also suffered burn injuries due to lightning strike at Kele village in Hazaribag, police said, adding, she is undergoing treatment in hospital.

The meteorological department has issued an ‘orange alert’ (be prepared) for hailstorms, lightning and gusty winds for parts of Jharkhand on Thursday.

“Hail accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds was experienced in some places over eastern, western and adjoining central parts of the state on Thursday,” Ranchi Meteorological Centre Deputy Director Abhishek Anand said.

Jharkhand’s Daltonganj received the highest rainfall of 31.8 mm and state capital Ranchi (7.6 mm), Anand said.

The rainfall helped bring down the maximum temperatures by up to four degrees Celsius, he said.

Daltonganj recorded 38.8 degrees Celsius on Thursday, while Seraikela registered 37.5 degrees Celsius and Ranchi (31.2 degrees Celsius), 3.8 notches below the normal, the officials said. PTI SAN CORR NN SAN RBT