NEW DELHI, June 8 (Xinhua) -- The death toll in hail and dust storm across northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh has risen to 26 and 57 others were reportedly injured, local government officials said Saturday.
The storms accompanying with rains and lightning hit the state on Thursday evening and continued until Friday morning, wreaking havoc and causing damage to structures, besides inflicting deaths and injuries to people.
"As per the data pouring in from various parts of the state the storms, accompanied by rain and lightning have killed 26 people and left 57 others injured," an official at state's revenue department said.
"Apart from this we have reports that 16 houses have been badly damaged and 31 head of cattle also got perished because of this."
Officials said the storms resulted in collapsing walls and uprooting of trees, thus prompting authorities to launch a large-scale rescue operation.
Police said most of the deaths were caused due to wall and roof collapses, lightning and uprooting of trees.
As per data available with the Uttar Pradesh relief commissioner, six people died in Mainpuri, three each died in Etah and Kasganj, two each in Farrukhabad and Barabanki, and one each in Moradabad, Badaun, Pilibhit, Mathura, Kannauj, Sambhal, Ghaziabad, Amroha, Badaun and Mahoba.
According to officials the storm has lashed 22 districts especially in the western part of the state.
The worst-hit district is said to be Mainpuri district, where 41 people were injured. Officials said the injuries were inflicted when people sleeping inside their mud houses were caught unawares by the thunderstorm, accompanied by rain, leading to wall collapse. Police said people were also injured after signboards and hoardings fell upon them at several places.
A government spokesman said the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has constituted a team of in-charge ministers of districts and instructed them to visit the affected districts to know the ground situation.
"The district magistrates have already been instructed to visit the places where the damage took place and timely distribution of relief material," the spokesman said.
Meanwhile, the opposition parties in the state have urged government to provide adequate relief to the victims.
Last year over 50 people were killed in Uttar Pradesh because of storms, accompanied by rain and lightning.
