At least 45 people have died in Uttar Pradesh due to heavy winds and thundershowers that struck several districts during the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday.
Eighteen districts across the state were affected by hailstorms and thundershowers.
Of the 45 deaths reported, five each were from Kasganj and Fatehpur; four each from Meerut and Auraiya; three each from Bulandshahr, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Kanpur Nagar, Kannauj, and Etah; two each from Ghaziabad, Etawah, and Kanpur Dehat; and one each from Firozabad, Aligarh, Hathras, and Amethi.
Additionally, one person each in Chitrakoot and Ambedkarnagar died after being struck by lightning.
Relief Commissioner Bhanu Chandra Goswami has directed all divisional commissioners to release compensation to the families of the deceased within 24 hours. He also instructed that districts lacking the necessary funds should immediately notify the headquarters so that the required funds can be released without delay.
According to the India Meteorological Department, cyclonic circulations originating over Punjab caused squally winds reaching speeds of 60 to 100 km/h in parts of Uttar Pradesh. Heavy rainfall was reported in several areas of eastern Uttar Pradesh.
Further thunderstorm activity is expected to continue until Monday, with the possibility of light to moderate rainfall and gusty winds, particularly over central Uttar Pradesh and the Terai region.
