Lucknow: Torrential rains and lightning have claimed at least 15 lives in the past 24 hours across parts of Bundelkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh, as a furious monsoon system triggered house collapses, flash floods and paralysed rural life, officials said on Sunday.
From farmers caught in the fields to schoolchildren returning home, the sudden onslaught left no time to react.
The devastation was spread across several districts—Chitrakoot, Banda, Mahoba, Hamirpur, Kanpur Dehat, Unnao, Bhadohi, Jaunpur, Chandauli, Azamgarh, and even the state capital Lucknow—where the skies opened with little warning and lightning turned lethal.
Chitrakoot bore the brunt, receiving a staggering 216 mm of rain, the highest in the region, according to the India Meteorological Department. Kanpur and Banda followed with 126 mm and 115 mm, respectively. The downpour cooled the air slightly, but at great cost—homes were flattened, roads submerged, and families torn apart.
In Banda’s Kallu Purwa village, a lightning bolt reduced a mud house to rubble, killing a young boy and injuring his mother and sibling. In nearby Dadaun, a farmer perished under a similar strike. Chitrakoot saw three casualties—two from collapsing mud dwellings and one swept away in a swollen stream.
Mahoba found itself nearly cut off from the outside world. Continuous overnight rains pushed nalas and river crossings over their banks, submerging roads and leaving 20 villages inaccessible. In some cases, detours of up to 30 kilometres were needed to reach basic services. Rainwater flooded schools and homes, halting classes and prompting emergency evacuations.
In Hamirpur, five farm labourers transplanting paddy in Shivni village were struck by lightning. One died instantly; the others are in critical condition. Rivers in the area have breached their limits, cutting off smaller settlements and stranding residents.
In Unnao, a young farmer lost his life while working his paddy field in Alolapur. In Bhadohi, a woman planting paddy succumbed to lightning injuries, while three others, including a teenager, were hurt. A schoolgirl in Jaunpur, Sonam of Class 8, died after being hit by lightning in Dheria.
Further incidents were reported in Jaunpur, Chandauli, and Azamgarh. In Chandauli’s Ghoswa village, lightning struck a group of women — 40-year-old Nirasha died during treatment. In Azamgarh’s Badgahan village, Kailashi Devi, 42, was killed in the fields. Lucknow, too, reported one fatality from a lightning strike.
Authorities have issued urgent advisories, asking residents to avoid open fields during storms and remain indoors. District administrations have been instructed to stay on high alert, with relief teams and damage assessment officials already on the ground.
The IMD has warned that the rainfall pattern is likely to persist for another week, bringing more moderate to heavy showers across Uttar Pradesh.