At least 45 people have died in a severe thunderstorm and lightning strike in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Times of India reported.
According to the media, the incident occurred when torrential rain accompanied by strong winds and lightning struck the state of Uttar Pradesh.
State govt directed all divisional commissioners to release compensation to the families of the deceased within 24 hours.
Local administration was asked to carry out surveys of agricultural fields to assess damage to crops and submit a report at the earliest, so that compensation could be released. More thunderstorm activity is expected till Monday, with possibility of light to moderate rain and gusty winds, especially over central UP and Terai regions.
The severe storm also led to the death of a large number of parrots in Singhar village in Jhansi on Thursday. Villagers said a large ‘peepal’ tree near a temple was home to a large parrot population.
The sudden and intense weather event caused considerable disturbance, with branches colliding and injuring many nesting parrots. According to district forest officer J B Shende, 70 parrot deaths had been confirmed, with around 30 injured and receiving medical attention, the report added.
MA/PR
