THUNDERSHOWERS AND LIGHTNING HAVE CLAIMED ANOTHER 30 LIVES IN INDIA, TAKING THE NATION-WIDE DEATH TOLL IN THE MONSOON RAINS TO 161, NEWS REPORTS SAID MONDAY. AT LEAST 15 PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN LIGHTNING STRIKES IN THE EASTERN STATE OF ORISSA SINCE SATURDAY, THE "IANS" NEWS AGENCY REPORTED. ANOTHER 15 PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN THE NORTHERN UTTAR PRADESH STATE ON SUNDAY AS FIERCE THUNDERSTORMS UPROOTED TREES, FLATTENED MUD HOUSES AND TWISTED ELECTRIC POLES, THE PRESS TRUST OF INDIA (PTI) REPORTED. THE SITUATION IN NORTH-EASTERN ASSAM STATE WAS GRIM, WITH THE RIVER BRAHMAPUTRA BURSTING ITS BANKS AND INUNDATING 70 VILLAGES IN FIVE DISTRICTS. AT LEAST 25,000 PEOPLE WERE DISPLACED AND WERE TAKING SHELTER IN MAKESHIFT HOMES. IN ALL, EIGHT OF INDIA'S 28 STATES HAVE BEEN FACING THE MONSOON FURY.