Top News

At least 33 people lost their lives on Wednesday after a powerful storm coupled with heavy rain wreaked havoc across several districts of Uttar Pradesh, officials said.

The worst-hit was Bhadohi, which reported 16 deaths, followed by Fatehpur with nine, Budaun with five, Chandauli with two, and Sonbhadra with one fatality.

Taking stock of the situation, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed authorities to ensure immediate relief and compensation for those affected by unseasonal rain, thunderstorms, and lightning. He instructed that assistance to impacted families be completed within 24 hours.

In Bhadohi, Additional District Magistrate Kunwar Virendra Kumar Maurya said widespread damage had been reported, including uprooted trees, fallen electricity poles, and damaged homes. Rescue and restoration efforts were hampered due to disruptions in mobile networks caused by the storm. Officials across all tehsils have been deployed for on-ground inspections and relief operations.

Police in Bhadohi confirmed that 16 people died in separate incidents linked to the dust storm, while six others were injured, two of them critically.

Fatehpur reported nine deaths and 16 injuries. Additional District Magistrate Avinash Tripathi said eight of the fatalities, including five women, occurred in Khaga tehsil, while another woman died in Sadar tehsil after a house wall collapsed.

In Budaun, five people, including two minor girls, died in storm-related incidents. In Siddhpur Kaitholi village, two girls — aged 10 and 9 — were killed when a mud wall collapsed on them as they took shelter during strong winds. Two women trapped in the debris sustained serious injuries.

In a separate incident in Tark Paroli village, a 40-year-old woman died after a tree fell on a tubewell structure, causing its roof to cave in. Three others were injured, one of them critically. Elsewhere, a truck driver was killed after a tree fell on his vehicle, while a 22-year-old man died after being struck by a falling tree while on his way to deliver food.

Police officials said five deaths and several injuries were reported in the Bisoli and Faizganj Behta areas alone.

In Sonbhadra, a 38-year-old man died after a tree collapsed on him while he had taken shelter beneath it. Chandauli recorded two deaths — one due to a wall collapse and another after a tree fell on a woman.

Expressing grief over the loss of lives, livestock, and property, the chief minister conveyed condolences to the bereaved families and directed district officials to reach affected areas and ensure all possible assistance. He warned that any negligence in relief work would not be tolerated.

Adityanath also instructed officials to remain on high alert and ordered the revenue and agriculture departments, along with insurance agencies, to carry out damage assessments promptly. Compensation, he said, should be disbursed without delay once the evaluation is complete.