At least 33 people were killed and several others injured after a powerful dust storm accompanied by heavy rain and lightning ripped through five districts of Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, leaving a trail of collapsed houses, uprooted trees and snapped electricity poles.
The worst-hit district was Bhadohi, where 16 people died in separate storm-related incidents. Fatehpur reported nine deaths, Budaun five, while Chandauli and Sonbhadra recorded two and one fatalities respectively, officials said.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath directed officials to ensure compensation for affected families and ordered that relief work be completed within 24 hours. He warned that negligence in rescue and rehabilitation efforts “will not be tolerated”.
Residents gather around a car crushed by a fallen tree in Prayagraj. UP: 11 killed as powerful storm, heavy rain wreak havoc in Bhadohi and Budaun
“District magistrates and officials of all departments must immediately reach affected areas and provide all possible assistance to victims,” Adityanath said, while also ordering damage assessment surveys by the revenue and agriculture departments along with insurance companies.
In Bhadohi, additional district magistrate Kunwar Virendra Kumar Maurya said rescue operations were hampered as mobile networks collapsed during the storm. “Reports are coming from several areas about uprooted trees, damaged houses and electricity poles,” he said.
Police in Bhadohi confirmed that six people were injured, two of them critically, besides the 16 deaths caused by the dust storm.
Fatehpur witnessed widespread devastation, with nine people killed and 16 injured. Additional district magistrate Avinash Tripathi said eight deaths, including those of five women, occurred in Khaga tehsil, while another woman died after a wall collapsed in Sadar tehsil.
Budaun saw multiple tragedies unfold as strong winds and rain flattened mud structures and uprooted trees. In Siddhpur Kaitholi village, two minor girls — Mausami (10) and Rajni (9) — died after the wall of a hut collapsed on them while they had taken shelter from the storm along with two women, who sustained serious injuries.
In another incident in Tark Paroli village, a woman identified as Laxmi (40) died after a tree crashed onto a tubewell room where villagers had gathered for shelter. Three others were injured, one of them critically.
Truck driver Yogesh (32) was killed near Bilsi Road after a eucalyptus tree fell on his vehicle, while 22-year-old Anshul Sharma died after a tree collapsed on him when he was delivering food to his father.
Additional superintendent of police Hridesh Kumar Kataria said five people died and around five others were injured in storm-related incidents across Bisoli and Faizganj Behta police station areas.
In Sonbhadra, a man identified as Madhav Singh (38) died after taking shelter under a tree that was uprooted by strong winds. In Chandauli, Munni (55) died in a wall collapse while Prabhavati (65) was killed after being struck by a falling tree.
The chief minister also directed officials to remain on high alert amid forecasts of more adverse weather and instructed authorities to expedite compensation immediately after assessment of losses.
With PTI inputs
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