PURNEA, May 28 -- Severe weather conditions continued to batter Bihar on Wednesday, with storms, heavy rains and lightning claiming at least 14 lives across districts in the state, including Bhagalpur, Bagaha, Muzaffarpur and Khagaria within 12 hours. India Meterological Department (IMD) issued fresh warnings for thunderstorms and rainfall in 24 districts. In contrast, residents in the remaining parts of the state are facing intense humid heat. In Khagaria, two farmers died after lightning struck a hut where they had taken shelter during heavy rains late on Tuesday night. The deceased have been identified as Gorakh Yadav (63) and Sapo Yadav (60). Lightning struck them in their farm where they were guarding their crops along the banks of the Ganga in Mathar Diyara. In Bhagalpur, a 40-year-old woman identified as Ranju Devi died after an electric pole snapped during the storm and collapsed onto her house while she was sleeping in the verandah with her husband who narrowly escaped. Officials said that she remained trapped beneath the pole till Wednesday morning when police and electricity department officials reached her house and dragged her out and rushed her to the hospital where the doctor declared her dead. Earlier on Tuesday, at least seven persons were killed in thunderstorms in Bhagalpur. The deceased have been identified as Nakul Yadav (37), Kuna Devi (70) Zainul (57), Hari Prasad Mandal (74),Chheddu Sahni (59), Santosh Kumar (38) and Heera Lal Ram (40). Environmentalist Kanchan Kumari said that over 2,000 birds were also killed in the storm after hundreds of trees fell down. "Several people were killed in the storm accompanied with heavy rains and death toll may mount as reports are still coming from affected areas. The assessment of damage to property is underway," officials said. A severe storm also caused extensive damage to Bhagalpur Agricultural University (BAU) campus in Sabour Bhagalpur. High-velocity winds and torrential rains led to widespread tree uprooting, blocking roadways, power disruptions, and structural damage to both orchards and campus research infrastructure....