More than 100 people were killed in a violent storm that battered India's most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, with rain and hail, the state Disaster Management and Relief office said on Thursday.
At least 104 people died in about a dozen districts, the worst hit being the area around the Hindu pilgrimage city of Prayagraj, the office of the state's relief commissioner, Hrishikesh Bhaskar Yashod, told Reuters.
"The entire area where we live turned black for around half an hour," said Ashok Rai, who lives in the coal-rich industrial town of Obra in the state's Sonbhadra district.
"Strong winds lifted hoardings and signboards and thick coal dust from the ground and hurled them around," he added.
Storms are common in the northern state during the hot season from March to June, before the monsoon rains bring respite.
"Adverse weather conditions" on Wednesday led to the deaths of 89 people, Uttar Pradesh's relief commissioner said in a post on X.
There were also reports of 53 people injured, 87 houses damaged, and 114 livestock killed in the state due to the storms, rain, hail, and lightning, the post added.
Television images showed trees and billboards uprooted by gusts of wind, with some crashing into cars amid clouds of dust and debris that knocked down wooden furniture at roadside stalls.
Additional fatalities were reported in Budaun district, where five people died in storm-related incidents, and in Sonbhadra district, where one death was confirmed, according to the Press Trust of India.
The chief minister of the state, governed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, had directed officials to assist survivors and distribute financial aid within 24 hours, authorities said.
Meanwhile, rain hit parts of the capital New Delhi, also affecting flight traffic at Indira Gandhi International Airport.
Bangladesh has called for increased climate financing and faster delivery of support to vulnerable nations, arguing that current global funding commit...
U.S. President Donald Trump said that Iran had agreed to nuclear inspections into "infinity, despite Tehran's denials, and that unfrozen Iranian asset...
Apple is facing a £3 billion lawsuit in the United Kingdom after a competition tribunal approved a major collective action over its iCloud storage se...
Iran has strengthened ties with regional partners and agreed a roadmap for technical talks with the U.S. aimed at securing a final peace agreement wit...
Belgium has issued 24-hour visas to a Taliban delegation attending European Union migration talks in Brussels, as EU member states explore ways to ret...
Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks in New Delhi on the sidelines of the BRICS security advisers’ meeting, in the latest sign of gradual efforts to stabilise ties after years of border tensions.
At least 12 students have died after a fire broke out in a building in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, authorities said. Most of the victims were teenagers attending an animation centre in the building when the blaze began.
A territory-wide shutdown has brought daily life in Pakistan-administered Kashmir to a standstill following the deadliest unrest in years, which has left at least 24 people dead over nearly two weeks of protests.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he had a "very good" conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the G7 summit in France, adding that Washington and New Delhi were working on trade agreements despite recent strains in bilateral ties.
At least thirteen people have died and sixty-six have been injured following an explosion at Qatar's main liquefied natural gas (LNG) processing hub at Ras Laffan, authorities said on Sunday.
Cape Verde’s remarkable FIFA World Cup debut continued on Sunday (21 June) as the tournament newcomers held Uruguay to a 2-2 draw. Goalkeeper Vozinha was once again at the centre of the story, this time with his mother watching from the stands.
Tehran has agreed to let the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recommence inspections of its nuclear programme, U.S. Vice President JD Vance has said. The U.S. and Iran have settled on a 60-day roadmap aimed at reaching a final deal, according to mediators Qatar and Pakistan.
Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed on a landmark internet deal that will allow traffic to pass through Azerbaijani networks.It's the latest deal to highlight the ongoing peace process between the two countries.
A Ukrainian strike has damaged a school building in a Russian-controlled area of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, according to local authorities cited by the TASS news agency. No injuries were reported in the incident.
Major technology, telecom, aviation and crypto-related firms have pledged to strengthen cooperation to tackle the illegal wildlife trade according to statements made at a business forum convened by United for Wildlife during London Climate Action Week.
Scientists have identified almost 166,000 square kilometres of coral reefs worldwide that appear capable of surviving and recovering from the impacts of climate change, offering new hope for some of the planet's most vulnerable marine ecosystems.
Australia's weather bureau warned on Tuesday that an El Niño weather pattern has formed in the tropical Pacific and could intensify in the second half of 2026, becoming one of the strongest events recorded in seven decades.
France’s parliament has formally recognised state responsibility for the use of the toxic pesticide chlordecone in Martinique and Guadeloupe, marking a significant step in addressing decades of environmental contamination and public health concerns.
Financial markets are significantly underestimating the economic impact of biodiversity loss, potentially leaving countries exposed to sovereign debt crises and rising borrowing costs, according to new research published on Friday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment