More than 40 people were killed on Sunday across the country as rain and thunderstorms hit various states. Deaths were reported from Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Delhi-NCR.
According to some officials, a minimum of 18 people were killed and 28 injured in the hail and thunderstorm that hit different parts of Uttar Pradesh.
Five deaths have been reported from Kasganj, three from Bulandshahr and two each from Ghaziabad and Saharanpur. Apart from this, deaths have been reported from Etawah, Aligarh, Kannauj, Hapur, Noida and Sambhal, Principal Secretary (Information) Awanish Awasthi said. At least 28 people were injured and around 37 houses were damaged in the hail and thunderstorm, he said.
“Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed all district magistrates and commissioners to provide immediate relief (to the affected people) and ensure that the injured are provided medical care immediately,” Awasthi said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to express his grief over the loss of life in these regions.
Saddened by the loss of lives due to storms in some parts of the country. Condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the speedy recovery of those injured. Asked officials to provide all possible assistance to those affected.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 13, 2018
12 killed in West Bengal
At least 12 people were killed and over 15 injured in different districts of West Bengal after lightning struck them amid heavy rain on Sunday, an official of the state disaster management department said. Five deaths were reported from Howrah district’s Uluberia sub-division, while there were two deaths each in Paschim Midnapore, North 24 Parganas and Nadia districts, and one in Murshidabad district, he said.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said her government would provide assistance to the families of the deceased, as well as those whose houses and crops have been damaged. “We do not have control over the nature. We will not be able to bring back those who have died, but our government will be beside these families and help them in every possible manner,” she told a news channel.
9 casualties in Andhra Pradesh
Nine people were struck dead by lightning and three injured in Srikakulam and Kadapa districts of Andhra Pradesh, official sources said. Srikakulam district collector Dhananjay Reddy told a source that the seven casualties were reported from different mandals in the district.
State deputy chief minister (Home) N China Rajappa, while condoling the deaths of people in lightning strikes, asked the respective district authorities to take necessary precautionary measures as per the warnings issued by the Disaster Management Department.
2 dead, over 18 injured in Delhi; 70 flights diverted
At least two people were killed and more than 18 injured in Delhi after a squall and dust storm with a wind speed of up to 109 kmph barrelled through Delhi and neighbouring areas on Sunday. The storm affected flights, rail and metro operations, uprooting trees, and leading to incidents of wall collapse.
The strong winds knocked down 189 trees in the city. Four incidents of wall collapse were reported from Najafgarh, Transit Camp, Nehru Place, Mohan Garden in Uttam Nagar and Raj Nagar in Palam, said a senior officer of the Delhi Fire Service.
The inclement weather interrupted the launch of a 140 kWp rooftop solar plant at IP Extension attended by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
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