UP THUNDERSTORM TOLL RISES TO 54
THE IMPACT 132 people injured, huge loss to property, 33 districts affected; majority of the deaths due to wall collapse
LUCKNOW: The toll in devastating thunderstorm that lashed 33 districts of Uttar Pradesh on Sunday and Monday evening has gone up to 54, officials said on Monday.
The storm left 132 people injured, besides causing huge loss to property, they added.
Sunday’s was the third thunderstorm in the state this month – on May 9, 16 people were killed and 27 injured and on May 2, 73 people were killed and 91 injured.
Principal secretary (information) Awanish Awasthi 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.”
The chief minister has directed the DMs to supervise the relief work and, in case of loss of human life or death of domestic animal, relief must be provided within 24 hours. Relief should also include damage to homes, loss of utensils and clothes, Awasthi said.
A state government official said the casualties included eight deaths each in Bareilly and Barabanki, six in Kasganj, four in Bulandshahr, three each in Pratapgarh and Jaunpur, two each in Lakhimpur Kheri, Saharanpur and Muzaffarnagar, one each in Ghaziabad, Kannauj, Aligarh, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Etawah, Mirzapur, Shamli, Mathura, Badaun, Baghpat, Bijnore, Ghazipur, Sultanpur. Rae Bareli, Unnao and Sambhal.
At least 91 cattle died and 73 houses were damaged in the storm.
Relief commissioner Sanjay Kumar said majority of the deaths were due to wall collapse, roof collapse, uprooting of trees and lightning.
Eight people, including five of a family, were killed in Bareilly district on Sunday night. Bareilly district magistrate Virendra Kumar Singh said Rafi Ahmed (18), Mobin (30), Parveen (40), Raiema (3) and Aliza (4) of the same family died when an under-construction minaret of a mosque fell on their house in Sheeshgarh area of the district.
The DM has assured relief for the aggrieved families.
Meanwhile, chief minister Yogi Adityanath held a meeting with the district magistrates of 40 flood-prone districts on Monday to review preparedness.
“DMs of the districts affected by thunderstorm were asked to stay back to carry out relief and rescue work in their respective areas,” the CM said.
A state government officer said the CM had asked all the DMs to remain alert as meteorological department has warned of fresh hailstorm accompanied with high velocity wind in various districts.