LUCKNOW: Seven persons died in separate incidents of lightning strikes in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday when the state received heavy rainfall and thunderstorms in several districts.
The deaths were reported from Lakhimpur Kheri, Hardoi, Sitapur and Shahjahanpur, according to a statement issued by state Relief Commissioner Naveen Kumar.
According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), 42 districts in the eastern part of the state received an average rainfall of 7.7 mm while 33 districts in west Uttar Pradesh received 8.9 mm of rain.
The districts which received rain on Sunday were Jalaun (30.3 mm), Bijnor (26 mm), Baghpat (19.3 mm), Hamirpur (17.5 mm), Amethi (16.9 mm), Saharanpur (16 mm), Etawah (15 mm), Hardoi and Mirzapur (14.8 mm), Jhansi (14.5 mm), Bahraich (14.1 mm), Kannauj (14 mm) and Chitrakoot (14 mm), Kanpur Nagar (13.9 mm), Kasganj (11.7 mm), Barabanki (11.6 mm), Bareilly and Etah (10 mm), Lucknow (9.7 mm), Mainpuri (9.3 mm), Lalitpur (9 mm), Meerut (7.5 mm), Shahjahanpur (5.7 mm), and Kanpur Dehat (5.6 mm).
Farrukhabad, Kannauj, Muzaffarnagar, Jalaun, Jhansi, Kanpur Dehat, Shahjahanpur, Lalitpur and Saharanpur districts were also lashed by hailstorms, the statement said.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered officials to carry out an assessment of crop damage. Officials have been ordered to transfer the compensation amount to the concerned farmers’ account within 24 hours.
The state has been witnessing strong winds and hailstorms since late Friday night, with as many as 7,020 farmers from 50 districts seeking compensation for the damage till March 2.