At least 56 people were killed on Wednesday after a powerful storm accompanied by heavy rain caused widespread damage in Prayagraj, Pratapgarh, Bhadohi, Fatehpur, Unnao, Kanpur Dehat, Chandauli, Sonbhadra and Badaun districts of Uttar Pradesh, among others.
Sixteen deaths were reported from the Prayagraj region, 16 from Bhadohi district, nine from Fatehpur district, four from Unnao, three from Kanpur Dehat, five from Budaun, two from Chandauli and one from Sonbhadra, according to reports received from the districts and news agencies.
The state government has not released any consolidated figures for casualties in the regions or the state as a whole.
A senior state government officer said, “We are in the process of gathering the figures, and then the state government will announce compensation accordingly”.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath has issued directives to provide compensation to victims affected by the damage caused by unseasonal rain, storm, and lightning strikes across Uttar Pradesh. He stated that the task of delivering relief to the victims must be completed within 24 hours, the chief minister’s office said in a statement.
The chief minister expressed his condolences to the bereaved families and directed officials from various departments—including the district magistrates of all districts—to visit the affected sites and provide every possible assistance to the victims. He emphasised that no negligence in carrying out this task would be tolerated.
He instructed officials to remain on high alert. Furthermore, he directed the revenue department, the agriculture department, and insurance companies to conduct a survey of the damage and submit a report to the government. Instructions have been issued to complete the damage assessment immediately following the survey and to disburse compensation without delay.
Officials said at least 16 people lost their lives in Bhadohi.
Trees uprooted, houses damaged
Additional district magistrate Kunwar Virendra Kumar Maurya said reports were coming in from several areas about uprooted trees, downed electricity poles, and damaged houses. He said that restoration and rescue operations faced difficulties because mobile networks were disrupted by the storm.
Maurya said sub-divisional magistrates, tehsildars, other district officials and police were inspecting and carrying out relief work across all three tehsils of the district.
56 killed across various UP districts
In a post on X, Bhadohi police said that 16 people died in separate incidents in the district due to a dust storm, while six were injured, of whom two were serious.
In Fatehpur, nine persons were killed, and 16 were injured in storm-related incidents.
Additional district magistrate Avinash Tripathi said, “Eight persons, including five women, were killed in Khaga tehsil, in Sadar tehsil, one woman was killed due to a house wall collapse. A total of nine deaths have been reported in storm-related incidents, while 16 people were injured.
A report from Prayagraj said a 35-year-old woman, Savita, and her six-year-old son were killed when the wall near which they had taken shelter collapsed in Phulpur.
In Handia, a 14-year-old girl died after being trapped beneath a tin-shed room that collapsed during the storm. Five other deaths were also reported.
An e-rickshaw driver, Riyasat Ali, died in Mauaima, while a nine-year-old boy lost his life in Soraon.
In Akhri Shahpur village in Meja, a 12-year-old boy was killed when a tin shed collapsed on him, while his critically injured friend was rushed to SRN Hospital by his family members.
Similarly, another 12-year-old boy was returning from an orchard when he was killed by a branch that suddenly broke off a mango tree and fell on him.
In Hetapatti, under the Tharwai police jurisdiction of Prayagraj, a 60-year-old man, Dayanand Yadav, died in a weather-related incident/.
In Pratapgarh, Lal Bahadur Verma died after being struck by lightning in Chhatarpur Rachna, within the Antu police station area. In Ojha Ka Purwa Bijumau, under the Lalganj Kotwali jurisdiction, Dharmendra Yadav died after being crushed beneath a tin shed. Shanti Devi died after the courtyard wall of her home collapsed in Narangpur village under the Baghrai police station area.
In Unnao, four people died across the district, including a nine-year-old boy, a 70-year-old man and two other men in separate incidents.
In Kanpur Dehat, a 19-year-old girl, Ruchi, was among those killed due to a lightning strike. During a wedding ceremony at Kutra village, a 10-year-old girl, who was standing near an unplastered mud wall when it collapsed during the storm, killing her instantly, the Kanpur Dehat police said.
In Budaun, five persons, including two minor girls, were killed and as many were injured in separate incidents caused by a severe dust storm and rain.
Additional Superintendent of Police (Rural) Hridesh Kumar Kataria said five people have died in storm-related incidents in Bisoli and Faizganj Behta police station areas, while around five others were injured. In Sonbhadra, one person, identified as Madhav Singh (38), died after a tree fell on him when he stopped to take shelter under it. The incident took place in the Punnuganj police station area, police said.
In Chandauli, two persons died in separate incidents in the Chakia police station area.
(With inputs from PTI)
