Jaipur: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) today issued a warning for massive thunderstorm in parts of north India for the next 72 hours.
A thunderstorm accompanied by squall is likely at isolated places over Uttarakhand for the next three days, the NDMA said in a statement. A thunderstorm accompanied by gusty winds are likely to hit isolated places over Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi, the agency said.
The NDMA warning has been issued based on the information provided by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).
This comes a day after over 100 people were killed as fierce dust and thunderstorms wreaked havoc across northern and western India on Wednesday and Thursday, uprooting electricity poles and trees and flattening houses, besides disrupting rail, road and air traffic and power supplies.
The freakish phenomena also damaged crops, killed livestock and affected mobile and Internet services and left a trail of destruction across states.
At least 183 others were injured as a massive dust storm, followed by thunder showers, snapped power lines and sent tin roofs and street hoardings flying in parts of eastern Rajasthan and the adjoining areas of Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday and Thursday.
At least 70 people were killed in four districts of western Uttar Pradesh — 46 of them in Agra alone. At least 35 people were killed in Rajasthan — maximum 17 in Bharatpur. Nine each died in Dholpur and Alwar.
Besides Agra, the other storm-hit UP districts were Bijnor, Bareli, Saharanpur, Pilibhit, Firozabad, Chitrakoot, Muzaffarnagar, Rae Bareli and Unnao.
Heavy rains and dust storm also lashed Uttarakhand, Delhi, Punjab and Haryana. In Uttarakhand, the rains affected the ongoing Char Dham pilgrimage with roads being blocked with debris.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed sorrow over the deaths and directed officials to coordinate with states to ensure speedy relief and rehabilitation.
“Saddened by the loss of lives due to dust storms in various parts of India. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon,” the Prime Minister’s Office tweeted quoting Modi.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who was in poll-bound Karnataka on Thursday, directed officials to personally monitor relief operations, warning against any laxity.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje expressed grief over the calamity and said district authorities have been directed to ensure all possible help to victims.