DUST STORMS KILL 54 ACROSS NORTH; MAY TOLL IS 290

NEW DELHI : Storms and lightning strikes across several states killed at least 54 people in 24 hours, disaster management officials said on Tuesday, taking the toll from freak weather this month to around 290. Lightning, which is associated with thunderstorms, accounted for 2,641 deaths in 2015, about one-fourth of total deaths in India due to natural disasters that year, according to the latest National Crime Records Bureau report on accidental deaths. In UP death toll reached 17 with the meteorological department predicting more thunderstorms in some parts of central UP in the next 24 hours.

LUCKNOW: At least 17 people died and 10 others were injured as thunderstorm lashed six districts of Uttar Pradesh on Monday evening and Tuesday morning, officials said.

Meteorological department has predicted thunderstorms in some parts of central UP in the next 24 hours.

According to the information released by the state government, six people died and three others sustained injuries in Unnao when two houses collapsed in thunderstorm. Three people died in Rae Bareli while two deaths each were reported from Kanpur City, Pilibhit, Gonda and Sitapur.

Met department has issued warning for thunderstorm in Hardoi, Sitapur and Farrukhabad districts. “The alert was issued after we observed some atmospheric changes in these parts,” director, Met office, JP Gupta said.

“These local disturbances do not have any pattern which makes it difficult to make any forecast. Such storms are often reported in May and June before the arrival of monsoon,” Gupta said. On May 2-3, a storm had killed 134 people and injured over 400 in five states.

Uttar Pradesh was the worst hit, accounting for 80 deaths, most of them in Agra district. At least 18 people lost their lives in the thunderstorm that struck on May 9 and May 10. Fifty-one people died in similar incidents on May 14.