NEW DELHI, May 14: At least 110 people were killed after a powerful storm and heavy rain pounded several districts of Uttar Pradesh, uprooting trees and electric poles and damaging houses on Wednesday and Thursday.
The U.P. Relief Commissioner’s office has been tracking the damage. At least 72 injuries and 179 livestock losses reported from 26 districts as heavy rain, strong winds and thunderstorms wreak havoc. Large-scale storms, lightning, and thunder strikes caused significant damage across several districts over the past 36 hours, State Relief Commissioner Hrishikesh Bhaskar Yashod said on Thursday adding that the situation was being monitored.
“Reports of 111 deaths were received from 26 districts. 72 persons were injured, 170 livestock losses and damage to 227 houses have been reported,” the Relief Commissioner’s office said in a statement. At least four people each died in the districts of Barabanki, Bahraich, Kanpur Dehat, Basti, Sambhal, Hardoi, and Unnao. Livestock loss and crop damage was also being monitored.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed district magistrates and officials of various departments to aid victims and their families. “CM Yogi has directed officials to immediately visit the affected sites and provide assistance to the victims and release compensation,” an official statement said. “He has also instructed districts to provide updates on the situation every three hours. He has also instructed district magistrates and concerned officials to immediately visit the sites and complete the survey at the earliest so that compensation can be released in coordination with the concerned departments,” it added.
Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav asked the government to provide comprehensive relief, noting that “lakhs of people have been badly affected due to the collapse of houses, trees and walls.” In a post on X, he said: “The government should immediately carry out relief and rescue work on a war footing, immediate arrangements should be made for the best possible free treatment for the injured, food and water should be made available as soon as possible, temporary accommodation should be arranged, the dead should be cremated with respect.”
He added: “Apart from this, the loss of life, property, crops and vehicles etc. of the public should be assessed as soon as possible and the insurance amount should be ensured and compensation should be announced. We appeal to all our unaffected workers to help all the affected people as much as possible in this time of disaster.”
Videos of the extreme weather went viral on social media, including one showing a man being hurled into the air during a powerful thunderstorm in Bareilly district on Wednesday. The man was taking shelter under a tin shed amid heavy rain and strong winds when the storm reportedly ripped off the structure, throwing both the shed and the man several feet into the air before he crashed to the ground and suffered minor injuries.
(Manas Dasgupta)