Deadly superstorms
India’s death toll climbs as more extreme weather looms
AGRA, India — A series of powerful superstorms that tore through India this week have killed 143 people, as officials warned Friday the death toll could rise with more extreme weather expected.
A deadly dust storm claimed 121 lives in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Punjab, while an electrical storm, in which lightning struck an estimated 40,000 times, left 21 people dead in the country’s south.
Thousands of people in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan had their homes destroyed by the freak storm, which was packing winds of up to 130 kilometers per hour.
A total of 76 people were killed in Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous province, the state disaster management department said, with Agra district one of the worst hit areas, with at least 43 people killed.
“We were scared because the winds blew away roofs of houses and trees,” said Anil Srivastav, an Agra resident. “It was simply a nightmare as we haven’t witnessed anything like this before.”
Twenty-four people were killed in a single village in Kheragarh, near Agra, local media reported.
Thirty-nine deaths were reported in the neighboring state of Rajasthan, which was hit by winds of over 100 kilometers per hour, destroying houses, tearing up electricity networks, and uprooting trees.
The India Meteorological Department has warned there are likely to be more storms over a wider area on Saturday.
Storms and lightning strikes kill thousands of people every year in India but this was one of the most severe series of storms in recent decades.
The head of the Telangana state disaster management department, R.V. Chandravadan, said volatile weather will also continue in the southern region.
Seven people were killed on Thursday in lightening strikes and strong winds, which knocked down walls and tore up trees in the state.
“We have similar weather warnings for next two days,” Chandravadan said.
Shocked by ferocity
Disaster management officials said they were shocked by the ferocity of storm.
The local governments in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan have announced that families which have lost a member in the storm will receive $5,990 as compensation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to express his grief over the deaths.
“Saddened by the loss of lives due to dust storms in various parts of India. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon,” Modi wrote.
“Have asked officials to coordinate with the respective state governments and work toward assisting those who have been affected.”
Meanwhile, at least 10 people died after heavy rains, a hailstorm and lightning strikes hit the southern states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, authorities said on Friday.
“Several trees and power poles were uprooted, thus disrupting traffic movement across the two states and electricity supply was severely affected too. We are trying to restore power and clear the roads of the trees,” an official said.