At least 41 people killed due to dust storms across nation

At least 41 people were killed when dust storms and thunderstorms accompanied by gusty winds hit Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and the national capital yesterday evening.

Officials said, 18 people were killed in Uttar Pradesh, 12 in West Bengal, nine in Andhra Pradesh, and two in Delhi.

A squall and dust storm with a wind speed of up to 109 kmph battered Delhi and neighbouring areas killing two persons and injuring 19 others. 

In Uttar Pradesh, 18 persons were killed another 25 injured in thunderstorm, rain and lightning related incidents. Five persons lost their lives in Kasganj district.

Three deaths occured in Bulandshahr, two each in Ghaziabad and Saharanpur and one each in Etawah, Kannauj, Aligarh, Hapur, Gautam Buddha Nagar and Sambhal. 37 houses were damaged and 9 cattle heads perished in UP. Incidents of fire are also reported from different district due to lightning.

District authorities have advised the people to stay inside any take shelter under puckka construction and stay away from trees, transformers and electricity polls. Met department has issued warning for several districts in eastern UP for the next 24 hours.

Most parts of the state are affected. Power supply and communication net works are badly hit. In several district power supply was disrupted for several hours in urban areas and in rural areas it is still disrupted. As per reports available 40 houses have been damaged and 15 cattle heads perished. Incidents of fire are also reported from different district due to



lightning.

Hailstorm has hit several districts including Banda, Chitrakoot, Kaushambi, Fatehpur, Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, Shamali, Hapur, Bareilly and Baghpat. The State government has asked the district authorities to take precautions to save people and property losses and provide financial assistance to the affected families. 

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has asked the in charge Ministers of different districts to to visit the affected areas and monitor relief operations being conducted. 

State government has asked the district authorities to take immediate steps to save people and prevent damage to property and also issued orders to provide financial assistance to the affected families.

In West Bengal, at least 12 people, including four children, were killed and over 15 injured in lightning amid heavy rain.

In Andhra Pradesh, nine persons were killed in lightning when the state experienced widespread rain, accompanied by gales.

According to Met Department, thunderstorms also occurred in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Assam, Meghalaya, Maharashtara, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Senior Met Department official Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said, the thunderstorms will continue for the next 48 to 72 hours over North-Western, Eastern and Southern part of the country. He said, thunderstorms are occurring due to circulation of a western disturbance in North West India and strong easterlies.