Thunderstorms in Delhi including 3 states, kills 41
New Delhi : Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and the national capital Delhi faced a threatening dust storms and thunderstorms on Sunday, 13 May. The wreaked havoc ended up with killing at least 41 people and piles of destruction all over the affected regions.
Uttar Pradesh bore the brunt of a thunderstorm and hail that left at least 18 people dead, while 12 people including four children were killed in West Bengal, nine in Andhra Pradesh, and two in Delhi, officials said.
North India including Delhi faced high-velocity winds which affected road, rail and air services. In Delhi, the sky turned dark grey around 4:30 pm. Squally winds and rain lashed the national capital, causing the temperature to drop to 25.2 degrees Celsius.
According to the India Meteorological Department, thunderstorms also occurred at isolated places in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Assam, Meghalaya, Maharashtara, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: "Saddened by the loss of lives due to storms in some parts of the country. Condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the speedy recovery of those injured."
Expressing deep grief, Congress President Rahul Gandhi in a tweet asked party workers to provide all assistance to the bereaved families.
At least 18 people were killed and 28 injured in thunderstorm that stroked parts of Uttar Pradesh, officials said.
Five people were killed in Kasganj, three in Bulandshahr and two each in Ghaziabad and Saharanpur. One person each died in Etawah, Aligarh, Kannauj, Hapur, Noida and Sambhal, Principal Secretary Awanish Awasthi said.
A squall and dust storm with a wind speed of up to 109 kmph battered Delhi and neighbouring areas today, killing two persons and injuring 18 others, and throwing flight, rail and metro operations out of gear.
In West Bengal, at least 12 people, including four children, were killed and over 15 injured in lightning strike amid heavy rain, an official of the state disaster management department said.
Five deaths were reported from Howrah district, while two deaths each from West M A squall and dust storm with a wind speed of up to 109 kmph battered Delhi and neighbouring areas today, killing two persons and injuring 18 others, and throwing flight, rail and metro operations out of gear.
In West Bengal, at least 12 people, including four children, were killed and over 15 injured in lightning strike amid heavy rain, an official of the state disaster management department said.
In Andhra Pradesh, nine persons were killed due to lightning strikes.
While seven persons were killed in Srikakulam district alone, two more were killed in Kadapa, officials said.
