At least 49 people died across Uttar Pradesh due to various rain and storm-related incidents between 8 pm on May 21 to 4 pm on May 22, according to a report of the Integrated Disaster Control Centre, Relief Commissioner's Office, Lucknow.
The state experienced strong winds accompanied by heavy rainfall in most parts of the districts on the night of May 21-22.
The fatalities, primarily caused by falling of trees, collapsing of walls and roofs, and lightning strikes, have been reported from numerous districts across the state.
As per the information provided by the Relief Commissioner's Office, five persons each were killed in Kasganj and Fatehpur districts. Four deaths each were reported from Meerut and Auraiya districts while three persons each were killed in Bulandshahr, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Kannauj, Kanpur Nagar and Etah.
Two deaths each caused by rain-related incidents were reported from Ghaziabad, Firozabad, Etawah and Kanpur Dehat. In Aligarh, Hathras, Chitrakoot, Ambedkar Nagar, Amethi, Ayodhya, Azamgarh and Unnao one death each was reported.
The Relief Commissioner's Office has directed district officials to provide assistance and an ex-gratia amount to the family members of the deceased.
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav expressed condolences on the deaths due to storm, rain and cyclone in the state, calling it extremely sad.
In a statement issued here on Friday, the SP said, "Shri Akhilesh Yadav expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and said that the government should immediately compensate the affected families and help them in other ways."
Yadav said that in the last three days, lakhs of people were affected by storms and rain in dozens of districts of the state. Dozens of houses collapsed. Waterlogging occurred at many places including the chief minister's home district of Gorakhpur, the statement added.
The SP chief also said that the government should not make announcements on paper. It should really help the families affected by storms, he said.
The SP chief alleged in the statement, "The BJP government is an expert in making false announcements. This government has not fulfilled the previous promises made to the public."
"During various disasters, this government did make announcements but the farmers and victims did not get help on the ground. In a democracy, it is the responsibility of the government to work for public interest and public welfare but the BJP government always discriminates. It ignores farmers, the poor and the victims."
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