Dust storm in Uttar Pradesh: Death toll climbs to 12

Lucknow : The death toll in a dust storm that hit Uttar Pradesh has increased to 12, a government official said on Thursday.

Over 25 people were injured in the storm that hit many parts of western Uttar Pradesh late on Wednesday night.

The victims included six from Agra, four from Etawah and two from Kanpur.

Gusty winds, followed by hail and lightning led to the collapse of many houses as well.

An official told IANS that due to the uprooting of many trees, traffic was hit on the Gwalior-Bareilly highway and also on the Faizabad road linking the temple town to the state capital. 

Several trees have been uprooted in Lucknow and power outages were reported from many areas. 

Rain was reported in Kanpur, Kannauj and other neighbouring districts. 

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed officials to ensure speedy rescue and relief of the affected and ordered prompt medical aid for the injured.

District authorities in the worst affected areas of Kanpur, Aligarh, Agra, Firozabad and Hathras have been asked to assess the damage and ensure compensation by Thursday, a government spokesman told IANS.