At least 18 persons died as thunderstorm hit several parts of Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, officials said here on Thursday.
Twenty-seven persons were also reported injured, while 37 animals perished in the storm.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who is away campaigning in Karnataka, in a statement directed district officials to provide immediate compensation to the affected persons and calculate the losses.
“He said laxity and callousess in relief works will not be tolerated,” a government spokesperson said.
IMD warning
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning that thunderstorms, accompanied by gusty winds, are very likely at isolated parts of East Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Gangetic West Bengal and a duststorm likely in western Uttar Pradesh, on May 12.
The National Weather Forecasting Centre has predicted thunderstorms accompanied by squall (wind speed 50-70 kmph) in several States of North and East India on May 13.
The Wednesday storm comes a week after 73 persons died in the State as hailstorm, lightning and duststorms damaged property and crops and caused human loss in 22 districts of the State.
With 43 human casualties and 51 injured persons, Agra was the worst affected district.
