At least 56 people were killed after a powerful storm accompanied by heavy rain uprooted trees and damaged houses across several districts of Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, officials said on Thursday.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took cognisance of the loss of lives and property caused by the unseasonal rain, thunderstorms and lightning, and directed officials to ensure that relief reached the affected families within 24 hours.
According to reports received from various districts, 17 deaths were reported in Prayagraj, 16 in Bhadohi, nine in Fatehpur, five in Badaun, four in Pratapgarh, two each in Chandauli and Kushinagar, and one in Sonbhadra district.
A list issued by the Prayagraj district administration showed that seven deaths occurred in the Handia area, four in Phulpur, three in Soraon, two in Meja and one in Sadar owing to the storm and rain.
In Bhadohi, district administration sources said at least 16 people died in storm-related incidents.
Additional District Magistrate Kunwar Virendra Kumar Maurya said trees and electric poles were uprooted in several areas, while many houses were damaged in the storm.
In Fatehpur, Additional District Magistrate Avinash Tripathi said nine people were killed and 16 injured in storm-related incidents.
"Eight people, including five women, died in Khaga tehsil, while a woman died after a wall of a house collapsed in Sadar tehsil," he said.
In Pratapgarh, four people died in separate incidents of wall and cemented shed collapses and lightning strikes amid strong winds and rain, officials said.
Superintendent of Police Deepak Bhukar said Bhim Yadav (25) died after being trapped under debris when a cemented shed collapsed in Ojha Ka Purwa village under the Lalganj Kotwali area. He said Bhushan Pandey (56) died after a wall collapsed in Sari Swami village under the Baghrai police station area.
Bhukar said Shanti Devi (46) of Narangpur village and Lal Bahadur (44) of Chhatrapur Shivala Raghna village also died in storm-related incidents.
In Kanpur Dehat district, two persons died in rain-related incidents, officials said.
Police sources said a 19-year-old woman, Ruchi, died after being struck by lightning in Bhauthari village under the Rasulabad area while standing under a neem tree with goats during heavy rain.
Several goats also died in the incident.
A 60-year-old man standing nearby was also injured, they added.
Additional District Magistrate (Finance and Revenue) Dushyant Kumar said reports regarding human and livestock losses had been sought from local officials and that financial assistance would be provided as per government rules.
In Deoria, Komal Yadav (62), a resident of Bhimpur Gaura village, died after being struck by lightning, district administration sources said.
Two others were injured in the incident.
In another incident, Ramnath Prasad (65), a resident of Neruari village, died due to a lightning strike.
In Sonbhadra district, Madhav Singh (38) died after being trapped under a tree uprooted during the storm and rain.
Adityanath directed District Magistrates and officials of various departments to visit the affected areas and provide all possible assistance to the victims and their families.
He also instructed officials to remain on alert and directed the Revenue and Agriculture Departments, along with insurance companies, to conduct a survey of the damage and submit a report to the government.
(With inputs from PTI)