At least 19 people have been killed and 48 injured after severe dust storms swept over many parts of Uttar Pradesh, India late Thursday, June 6, 2019.
UP Relief commissioner said 6 people died in Mainpuri, 3 each in Etah and Kasaganj and one each in Moradabad, Badaun, Pilibhit, Mathura, Kannauj, Sambhal and Ghaziabad in incidents related to dust storm and lightning. At least 41 people were injured in Mainpuri.
Officials said the storms downed trees and walls, killing both people and farm animals.
The long dry spell and hot weather conditions increasing the surface temperature combined with unusually high western disturbances and cyclonic activity have contributed to this and thunderstorms in this season were not unusual, NewsNation reports. This brought some relief from the intense heatwave with temperatures dipping in north India.
