Centre issues fresh thunderstorm warning for Bengal, three other states

MP | New Delhi: A fresh warning about thunderstorm and squall hitting West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh was issued on Friday, the home ministry said, and noted that 124 people were killed while more than 300 injured in five states due to thunderstorm and lightning in the last two days. 

The maximum casualty was reported in Uttar Pradesh where 73 people were killed, while 91 others were injured.

Most of the deaths and injuries in the state took place in Agra region, a home ministry spokesperson said.

In Rajasthan, altogether 35 people were killed and 206 injured, while eight people were killed in Telangana, six in Uttarakhand and two in Punjab. Nearly 100 people were injured in Telangana, Uttarakhand and Punjab.

Following the thunderstorms, power supply was cut off in many areas as the squall uprooted trees and snapped electricity cables. At least 12,000 electric poles were uprooted and 2,500 transformers damaged in the affected states in the last two days.

The home ministry spokesperson said a fresh warning had been issued about possible thunderstorms accompanied with squall which may hit four states – West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh – on Friday.

The thunderstorm accompanied with squall are very likely at isolated places over Assam and Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura.

Isolated places in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi, Punjab, Bihar, Jharkhand, Sikkim, Odisha, northwest Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Rayalaseema, north coastal Andhra Pradesh, interior Tamil Nadu and Kerala are very likely to experience thunderstorm along with gusty winds.

Heavy rains are very likely at isolated places over Tamil Nadu and Kerala, while dust storm and thunderstorm very likely at isolated places over Rajasthan.

The home ministry has also issued an advisory for Saturday saying thunderstorm accompanied with squall are very likely at isolated places in Uttarakhand, Assam and Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Sub Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim.

A thunderstorm accompanied with gusty winds are very likely to occur at isolated places in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Gangetic West Bengal.

Heavy rains are very likely at isolated places in Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura. Dust storms are Most likely at isolated places in Rajasthan, an official said.

In Hyderabad and the outskirts, heavy downpour with hailstorm and strong gales uprooted trees in several areas in the city, damaging vehicles and bringing the traffic to a halt. Many parts of the

Telangana capital have been without power since Thursday night. Six people were killed in weather-related incidents in Telangana including two boys killed by lightning in

Hyderabad.