33 villagers killed in lightning storm in northern India

INQUIRER.net STOCK IMAGE

LUCKNOW, India — Officials confirmed dozens of people have died in a thunderstorm that struck the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.

State disaster relief official Sandhya said that Sunday’s lightning killed 33 people and injured 13 more. The official who only goes by one name said that 20 houses collapsed in the storm.

Heavy rains and lightning lashed the region when farmers were working in the field.

India Meterological Department official J.P. Gupta says that a low pressure area developed the forming  of a squall line.

Police officer Pradyuman Singh said that seven people were killed in one village while working in a paddy field, including a woman and a child.

Uttar Pradesh’s chief minister Yogi Adityanath said families of those killed would receive compensation of 400,000 rupees (about $6,000). /jpv