UP: 39 dead in rain-related incidents in a single day

Lucknow/ Guwahati: Thirty-nine people lost their lives and three were injured in various rain-related incidents in Uttar Pradesh in a day, the state government said on Tuesday.

Most of these casualties on Monday were due to dust storms, lightning, thunderstorms and drowning, it said.

"Owing to incidents of dust storms, lightning and thunderstorms and drowning in the state on May 23, 39 people lost their lives and three were injured. Three animals also died," a statement from the Uttar Pradesh government mentioned.

Giving out details, the revenue department said four people each lost their lives due to drowning in Agra and Varanasi. A person each in Ghazipur and Kaushambi, and two people in Pratapgarh also drowned, it said.

Five lives were lost due to lightning one each in Aligarh, Shahjahanpur and Banda, and two in Lakhimpur Kheri district.

In incidents of dust storms, a person was killed each in Amethi, Chitrakoot, Ayodhya, Firozabad, Muzaffarnagar and Jaunpur, two people each in Varanasi, Barabanki, Ambedkarnagar, Ballia and Gonda, and three each in Kaushambi and Sitapur.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister has directed the officials concerned to give financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh each to the kin of the deceased, the statement said.

Meanwhile, Assam floods witnessed a surge in death toll as it rose to 25 and 6.5 lakh people remained affected across 22 districts.

Assam state disaster management authority (ASDMA) informed about one person going missing in the floodwaters of Silchar, according to the daily flood report. People across Barpeta, Cachar, Darrang, Dhubri, Dibrugarh, Dima Hasao, Goalpara, Golaghat, Hailakandi, Hojai, Jorhat, Kamrup, Kamrup Metropolitan, Karbi Anglong West, Karimganj, Lakhimpur, Majuli, Morigaon, Nagaon, Nalbari, Sonitpur and Udalguri districts have been severely affected.

An isolated hailstorm is predicted in Himachal Pradesh. Keylong was covered with snow on Tuesday during the early hours due to heavy snowfall.

The intensity of Western disturbance in Northwest India is expected to reduce from today onward. Char Dham Yatra has been put on a halt amid snowfall. Delhi saw its coolest day in the month of May after 18 years. As per IMD, heatwave conditions will not be observed in the next six days.