Dust Storm In Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan: Around 100 people have died after the dust storm </s> New Delhi (CNN) Fierce winds and lightning strikes created by a powerful dust storm have killed about 110 people and injured hundreds more in northwestern India since late Wednesday, according to local authorities.

In the state of Rajasthan, at least 35 people died and more than 200 were injured after winds downed more than 8,000 electricity poles and uprooted hundreds of trees, officials told CNN.

"This has resulted in widespread electricity cuts and water shortages. Most of the deaths occurred after walls and roofs of houses collapsed in the middle of the night," Jaipur District Divisional Commissioner T Ravi Kant said.

An Indian traffic policeman covers his face as he stands on duty in New Delhi.

In neighboring Uttar Pradesh, the death toll stood at at least 73, with the vast majority of those deaths occurring in the city of Agra, where 43 have been confirmed dead. Four people were killed in Uttarakhand.

According to Sanjay Kumar, the relief commissioner at the Uttar Pradesh state disaster management authority, the high casualty number is the result of people becoming trapped under falling debris. "Many houses collapsed due to high intensity winds, or the trees fell over onto the houses," said Kumar.

Read More </s> Fierce winds and lightning strikes created by a powerful dust storm have killed around 110 people and injured hundreds more in northwestern India since late Wednesday, according to local authorities.

In the state of Rajasthan, at least 35 people died and more than 200 were injured after winds downed more than 8,000 electricity poles and uprooted hundreds of trees, officials told CNN.

“This has resulted in widespread electricity cuts and water shortages. Most of the deaths occurred after walls and roofs of houses collapsed in the middle of the night,” Jaipur District Divisional Commissioner T Ravi Kant said.

In neighboring Uttar Pradesh, the death toll stood at at least 73, with the vast majority of those deaths occurring in the city of Agra, where so far 43 have been confirmed dead. Four people were also killed in Uttarakhand.

According to Sanjay Kumar, the relief commissioner at the Uttar Pradesh state disaster management authority, the high casualty number is the result of people becoming trapped under falling debris. “Many houses collapsed due to high intensity winds, or the trees fell over onto the houses,” said Kumar.

According to CNN affiliate CNN News 18, the Uttar Pradesh state government has sounded an alert for the next 48 hours in anticipation of an increase in the numbers killed or injured in the storm.

The Prime Minister’s office said in a statement on Twitter that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was saddened by the loss of lives from the storm.

“(I) have asked officials to coordinate with the respective state governments and work towards assisting those who have been affected,” Modi said in the statement.

CNN Meteorologist Pedram Javaheri said India “is in the beginning stages of the onset of its annual summer monsoons.”

“Afternoon storms and periods of torrential rainfall have been more and more prevalent in this region over the past several weeks,” he added. “These afternoon storms were likely the culprit, bringing powerful winds to the impacted areas and setting the dust and sand in motion.”

Javaheri noted the region has had multiple years of below average rains during the summer monsoons, increasing the chance of dust and sand being swept up by strong winds. </s> Dust storms tore across northern India killing at least 77 people and injuring 143 as trees and walls were flattened by powerful winds, officials said Thursday.

The overnight storm ravaged Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan states and the death toll was expected to rise, officials said.

There were 46 confirmed deaths in Uttar Pradesh in the north and 31 in the desert state of Rajasthan to the west.

The Agra district of Uttar Pradesh was one of the worst hit with more than 30 people killed. The Taj Mahal is in Agra city but officials said the monument escaped damage.

Most of the victims were hit by falling walls, trees and electric pylons and houses that collapsed.

A man is carried from the debris of his damaged home following a major dust storm in Etmadpur, in Agra district in northern India's Uttar Pradesh state, on May 3, 2018. PHOTO | AFP

"We can confirm at least 46 deaths, 41 injuries from around 40 of the state's 75 districts," T.P. Gupta of the Uttar Pradesh relief commissioner's office told AFP.

Three districts in Rajasthan, a state popular with tourists for its heritage palaces and colourful culture, were hit the hardest.

"Most of (the) 31 deaths and 102 injuries across our state were from three districts Alwar, Dholpur and Bharatpur," Hemant Gera, Rajasthan's Disaster Management and Relief Department's secretary, told AFP.

Indian children swim in a pond during a dust storm in New Delhi on May 2, 2018. Dust storms tore across northern India killing at least 77 people and injuring 143 as trees and walls were flattened by powerful winds, officials said May 3. PHOTO | CHANDAN KHANNA | AFP

Power supply was cut in Bharatpur as more than 1,000 electricity pylons were destroyed. Officials said it could take more than two days to restore power.

"Saddened by the loss of lives due to dust storms in various parts of India. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Twitter.

This photo taken on May 2, 2018 shows a tree that fell in high wind during a storm onto a vehicle in Bareilly in India's northern Uttar Pradesh state. PHOTO | AFP

"Have asked officials to coordinate with the respective state governments and work towards assisting those who have been affected," he added.

Last month, a storm killed at least 15 people in Uttar Pradesh and destroyed two ancient pillars at the entryways to the Taj Mahal. </s> JAIPUR: Another dust storm may hit parts of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan in the next 48 hours due to cyclonic circulation formation in the region, a MeT official said today.

The warning came even as the two north Indian states were reeling under the impact of a severe overnight dust storm that killed nearly 100 people and left a trail of destruction.

"There is a high probability that winds will intensify in the next 48 hours in Rajasthan, which may lead to another dust storm.

It will affect areas of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan border, especially Karauli and Dholpur," Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) scientist Himanshu Sharma told PTI here.

Satellite images have shown wind pressure developing in parts of Rajasthan, which may lead to high intensity winds and dust storm.

The meteorological department has warned that a dust storm, rainfall or thunderstorm may occur at some areas in Bikaner, Alwar, Bharatpur, Dholpur, Karauli, Jhunjhunu, Swai Madhopur, Sikar, Sriganganagar and Jaisalmer districts.

Sharma said the department had issued warnings in the last couple of days about a dust storm in Rajasthan.

In Uttar Pradesh, the high-intensity dust storm left 64 people dead and 47 injured.

In Rajasthan, 33 were killed, taking the combined death toll to 97.

About 100 people were injured in the state, officials said.

In UP, Agra district was the worst hit, accounting for 36 deaths and injuries to 35 others, officials said.

Besides Agra, the other affected UP districts were Bijnor, Bareli, Saharanpur, Pilibhit, Firozabad, Chitrakoot, Muzaffarnagar, Rae Bareli and Unnao.

In Rajasthan, Dholpur district was the worst affected with 17 killed, according to officials. </s> NEW DELHI: Dust storms and thunderstorms wreaked havoc in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and the national capital, killing at least 41 people and leaving behind a trail of destruction.

Uttar Pradesh bore the brunt of a thunderstorm and hail that left at least 18 people dead, while 12 people including four children were killed in West Bengal, nine in Andhra Pradesh, and two in Delhi, officials said.

At several places in north India including Delhi, high-velocity winds uprooted trees and affected road, rail and air services.

According to the India Meteorological Department, thunderstorms also occurred at isolated places in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Assam, Meghalaya, Maharashtara, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu today.

In a tweet, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: "Saddened by the loss of lives due to storms in some parts of the country. Condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the speedy recovery of those injured."

Condoling the deaths, Congress President Rahul Gandhi in a tweet asked party workers to provide all assistance to the bereaved families.

Today's devastation comes over 10 days after storms hit UP, Rajasthan, Telangana, Uttarakhand and Punjab, killing 134 people and injuring over 400.

UP was the worst affected, accounting for 80 deaths, most of them in Agra district in the western part of the state.

Subsequently on May 9, several parts of Uttar Pradesh were struck by a severe storm that left 18 dead and 27 others injured.

At least 18 people were killed and 28 injured in hail and thunderstorm that pummelled parts of Uttar Pradesh, officials said.

Five people were killed in Kasganj, three in Bulandshahr and two each in Ghaziabad and Saharanpur.

One person each died in Etawah, Aligarh, Kannauj, Hapur, Noida and Sambhal, Principal Secretary (Information) Awanish Awasthi said.

A squall and dust storm with a wind speed of up to 109 kmph battered Delhi and neighbouring areas today, killing two persons and injuring 18 others, and throwing flight, rail and metro operations out of gear.

In West Bengal, at least 12 people, including four children, were killed and over 15 injured in lightning strike amid heavy rain, an official of the state disaster management department said.

Five deaths were reported from Howrah district, while two deaths each from West Midnapore, North 24-Parganas and Nadia districts and one from Murshidabad district.

In Andhra Pradesh, nine persons were killed in lightning strikes.

While seven persons were killed in Srikakulam district alone, two more were killed in Kadapa, officials said.

Various parts of the southern state witnessed rain, accompanied by gales.

In Delhi, the sky turned dark grey around 4:30 pm.

Gusty winds and rain lashed the national capital, causing the temperature to drop to 25.2 degrees Celsius.

The much-needed reprieve came after a sweltering day, when the maximum temperature had reached 40.60 degrees Celsius, a notch above the normal.

Humidity during the morning hours was recorded at 60 per cent, a MeT official said.

The officials said two squalls whipped through the national capital.

One clocking 109 kmph hit the Safdarjung area at 4:44 pm and continued till 4:46 pm.

The other gusting to 96 kmph battered the Palam area at 4:33 pm.

The strong winds knocked down nearly 200 trees in the city.

Incidents of wall collapse were reported from Najafgarh, Transit Camp, Nehru Place, Mohan Garden in Uttam Nagar and Raj Nagar in Palam, said a senior officer of the Delhi Fire Service.

A man was crushed to death in a wall collapse, while a woman was killed when a tree uprooted and fell on her, the police said.

Traffic in many areas moved at a snail's pace due to the reduced visibility.

The inclement weather interrupted the launch of a 140 kWp rooftop solar plant at IP Extension attended by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Operations at the Delhi airport came to a halt due to the dust storm.

At least 40 flights were diverted and more than 24 delayed, an official said.

Metro operations were affected at a number of stations on the Violet and Blue lines after trees fell on overhead electricity (OHE) wires.

The Northern Railways said the train movement was disrupted on the section between the Hazrat Nizamuddin and Palwal stations due to tree felling.

A few passenger and freight trains were held up for around 25 minutes because of the disruption.

The Kalka-New Delhi Shatabdi Express was also stopped near Sonepat due to uprooting of trees.

According to MeT department officials, the Safdarjung Observatory gauged 8.3 mm of rainfall.

The Palam, Aya Nagar and Lodhi Road areas recorded 0.8, 6.4 and 2.1 mm of precipitation.

K Sathi Devi, the head of the National Weather Forecasting Centre, said two western disturbances had led to the inclement weather.

"A cloud mass passed over Delhi. The extreme weather not only affected Delhi; Panipat, Jhajjar, Rohtak, Jind in Haryana and parts of Uttar Pradesh," said G P Sharma, President (Meteorology) Skymet, a private weather forecasting agency.

The winds continued to gust to 70 kmph even after the cloud mass passed over Delhi.

Thunderstorm and dust storm with winds speeds of up to 70 km per hour are "very likely" tomorrow in 26 districts of Uttar Pradesh, the weather office warned. </s> Indian children swim in a pond during a dust storm in New Delhi on May 2, 2018. Photo by AFP

Dust storms tore across northern India killing at least 77 people and injuring 143 as trees and walls were flattened by powerful winds, officials said Thursday.

The overnight storm ravaged Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan states and the death toll was expected to rise, officials said.

There were 46 confirmed deaths in Uttar Pradesh in the north and 31 in the desert state of Rajasthan to the west.

The Agra district of Uttar Pradesh was one of the worst hit with more than 30 people killed.

The Taj Mahal is in Agra city but officials said the monument escaped damage.

Most of the victims were hit by falling walls, trees and electric pylons and houses that collapsed.

“We can confirm at least 46 deaths, 41 injuries from around 40 of the state’s 75 districts,” T.P. Gupta of the Uttar Pradesh relief commissioner’s office told AFP.

He said there were 36 deaths in Agra district.

Officials said 157 animals were also killed across the state.

Three districts in Rajasthan, a state popular with tourists for its heritage palaces and colourful culture, were hit the hardest.

“Most of (the) 31 deaths and 102 injuries across our state were from three districts Alwar, Dholpur and Bharatpur,” Hemant Gera, Rajasthan’s Disaster Management and Relief Department’s secretary, told AFP.

Power supply was cut in Bharatpur as more than 1,000 electricity pylons were destroyed.

Officials said it could take more than two days to restore power.

The state government quickly released funds to compensate the families of those killed or suffered damage.

“Saddened by the loss of lives due to dust storms in various parts of India. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Twitter.

“Have asked officials to coordinate with the respective state governments and work towards assisting those who have been affected,” he added.

Last month, a storm killed at least 15 people in Uttar Pradesh and destroyed two ancient pillars at the entryways to the Taj Mahal. </s> At least 71 people died on Sunday as dust storms and thunderstorms hit parts of Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and New Delhi, PTI reported. Thunderstorms and hail left 42 people dead in Uttar Pradesh while 14 people – including four children – died in West Bengal, 12 in Andhra Pradesh, two in Delhi and one in Uttarakhand. Nearly 83 people were injured in Uttar Pradesh, 11 in Delhi and two in Uttarakhand.

Over 84 houses were damaged in the storm in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri district, whereas most number of deaths, eight, were recorded in Bareilly, according to The Times of India.

High-velocity winds uprooted trees in New Delhi and some other parts of North India. Rail, road and air traffic was also severely affected. In the national Capital, at least 40 flights were diverted and 24 delayed, DNA reported.

In East Delhi’s Pandav Nagar area, a woman died after a tree fell on her. Another woman was killed and her 17-year-old son seriously wounded when an illegal hoarding fell on them in Bisrakh area of Greater Noida. The India Meteorological Department has said that thunderstorms also occurred at a few places in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Assam, Meghalaya, Maharashtara, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, PTI reported.

The thunderstorms are likely to continue over the next couple of days, Charan Singh, a scientist with the Indian Meteorological Department said. The Met office has also warned that thunderstorms and dust storms with wind speeds of up to 70 km per hour were “very likely” on Monday in 26 districts of Uttar Pradesh. </s> Dust storm and heavy rain have swept through northern India, killing as many as 72 people and injuring over 100 others, in the northern states of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

The city of Agra in Uttar Pradesh saw the highest fatalities with 36 people, including children, killed after the intense dust storm destroyed their homes on Wednesday, according to a Times of India report on Thursday.

Nine other fatalities in other parts of Uttar Pradesh were reported, while 38 others were injured.

Wind as strong as 126km per hour accompanied the dust storm, The Times reported.

The dust storm was followed by heavy rainfall of as much as 48.2mm within less than three hours on Wednesday evening.

"Dust storms are common occurences in Rajasthan during the period before the monsoon rains," according to Al Jazeera's senior weather presenter, Richard Angwin.

"A large part of the Thar desert lies within the state. Here, dry, sandy soils are prone to wind erosion and transportation."

According to The Hindu news site, hundreds of animals were also killed mostly in Agra.

In the state of Rajasthan, at least 27 people were reported dead and 100 others injured in three districts, according to the Times of India.

There were also reports of destruction of buildings and infrastructure, as well as uprooting of hundreds of trees.

Images posted online from both states showed thick brown dust hovering over communities and cities.

According to reports, state officials have discussed extending financial help for the victims and their families.

Meanwhile, the Business Standard reported at at least 15 flights, including at least two international aircraft, were diverted from Delhi airport due to the bad weather.

That latest weather disturbance may be the result of the extreme heat that the region has been experiencing in recent days, Al Jazeera's Angwin said.

 

On Monday, a world record April temperature of 50.2C was recorded in Nawabshah in Pakistan's Sindh province, just west of India's Rajasthan.

"Many other parts of Pakistan and northern India have been suffering the effects of extreme temperatures. It is therefore quite possible that the wind circulation induced by the heat low was more intense than normal," Angwin explained. 

 

"A trough of low pressure may also have introduced moisture into the atmosphere, encouraging thunderstorms to develop."
Around 110 people are killed in a dust storm in northwestern India, with Uttar Pradesh being the hardest hit.