Lucknow: Violent dust storms, heavy rain and lightning strikes swept across several districts of Uttar Pradesh, killing at least 111 people and injuring more than 72 in the last 24 hours, officials said, as rescue teams worked through the night to clear roads, restore power and assist stranded residents.
The worst-hit areas were in the Varanasi, Prayagraj and Kanpur divisions, where strong winds uprooted trees, snapped electricity poles and damaged homes, disrupting transportation and power supply across large parts of the state.
According to state authorities, fatalities included 18 deaths in Bhadohi district, 17 in Prayagraj, 15 in Mirzapur and 10 in Fatehpur.
Several other districts, including Unnao, Badaun, Bareilly, Sitapur, Rae Bareli and Chandauli, also reported deaths linked to collapsing structures, falling trees and lightning strikes.
Narendra N Srivastava, an official with the Uttar Pradesh Relief and Revenue Department, said emergency response teams had been deployed across affected districts.
In Prayagraj, residents described scenes of panic as strong winds tore through neighbourhoods and roads were blocked by uprooted trees.
“The storm came suddenly and the sky turned completely dark within minutes,” said Ram Kishore, a resident of the Phulpur area in Prayagraj district. “Tin roofs were flying and people ran indoors. We could hear trees falling throughout the evening.”
Police and disaster response teams used chainsaws and cranes to remove fallen trees from highways and railway tracks in multiple districts.
Rail traffic on the Delhi-Howrah and PrayagrajJaunpur sections were disrupted due to tree falls.
Various videos showing the damage caused by the storm were shared on social media, including one from Bamiyana village in Bareilly district
The video showed a man being flung nearly 50 ft into the air along with a tin roof by strong gusts of wind before falling into a field. The man had reportedly held onto a tin shed to protect himself during the storm.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took cognisance of the loss of lives and damage caused by the unseasonal rain, thunderstorms and lightning, and directed officials to ensure relief reached affected families within 24 hours.
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