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At least 25 people died and several others were injured in lightning strikes across 14 districts of Uttar Pradesh between Saturday night and Sunday morning.
The state relief commissioner’s office confirmed five deaths in Prayagraj, four in Jaunpur, two each in Lalitpur, Gorakhpur, Bareilly, and Bijnor, and one each in Lucknow, Kanpur Dehat, Kushinagar, Shahjahanpur, Hardoi, Sambhal, Jhansi, and Jalaun.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed officials to begin relief work immediately. He asked district administrations to visit affected areas, provide financial aid to victims’ families, and ensure proper treatment for the injured. He also asked for crop loss surveys to be completed quickly.
Virendra Banvasi (35), his wife Parvati (32), and their daughters Radha (3) and Karishma (2) died instantly while sleeping in their hut.
Their elder daughters, aged 10 and 8, survived as they were with their grandparents.
In another incident in Kalyanpur village under Shankergarh police station, Akshay Kumar (29) died, and his wife Kusum (27) suffered serious burns.
Officials visited both villages and confirmed compensation of ₹3 lakh per deceased. The government will also provide a house to the Sonbarsa family and scholarships for the surviving daughters.
Lightning Strike Deaths Across Districts in UP
| District | Victims |
|---|---|
| Ballia | 13-year-old girl killed. Two others injured, under treatment. |
| Bijnor | Two people killed by lightning. One girl drowned in a drain (search ongoing). |
| Kushinagar | Tara Devi (30) killed while returning from the field. |
| Siddharthnagar | Four dead: Shah Jamal (27), Rizwan (33), Sateesh Yadav (27), Irshad Ahmad (25). Mahboob injured. |
| Gorakhpur | Khushbu (12) died. Jyoti (11) and Ajay (10) injured in Sahjanwa. |
| Jaunpur | Five dead in three villages: |
| - Kashidaspur: Ansh (12), Ashu (10), Ayush (12) | |
| - Khajura: Apa (14) | |
| - Kanehra: Brijesh (25) |
Strong winds also uprooted trees and power poles in parts of Jaunpur, leaving many areas without electricity.
District authorities across the state are surveying the damage. Relief efforts are underway. The state government has urged residents to stay indoors during storms and follow weather alerts.
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