90 killed, over 50 injured as storms and heavy rains batter Uttar Pradesh

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took cognisance of the loss of lives and damage caused by unseasonal rain, thunderstorms and lightning on Wednesday and directed officials to ensure relief reaches the affected families within 24 hours.

Lucknow: Severe storms and heavy rains that struck many parts of Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday claimed lives of more than 90 people and left over 50 injured leaving behind a trail of destruction and throwing normal life out of gear.

According to the reports, hundreds of trees were uprooted and electricity poles toppled disrupting power supply, damaging vehicles and blocking roads at several places across the state.

Varanasi, Prayagraj and Kanpur divisions were the worst affected and accounted for the highest number of fatalities.

Reports said that 18 people were killed in Bhadohi, 15 in Mirzapur, 17 in Prayagraj, 10 in Fatehpur, six each in Badaun and Unnao, four each in Pratapgarh and Raibareilly, two each in Sitapur, Raebareli, Chandauli, Hardoi and Sambhal and one each in Kaushambi, Shahjahanpur, Sonebhadra and Lakhimpur Kheri districts.

At many places in the rural areas, thatched houses and tin sheds were blown away by the high velocity winds while heavy rains destroyed crops and caused water logging disrupting traffic.

The storm also affected movement of trains on the busy Howrah-Delhi route after a tree was uprooted and fell on an OHE (overhead electrification) line in Fatehpur affecting many trains. Movement of trains was also affected on the Prayagraj-Jaunpur section when a tree fell on the railway tracks at a level crossing.

According to the reports, a majority of the fatalities was caused by incidents of wall collapse.

UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath directed the officials to provide compensation to the victims and launch relief operations in the affected areas.