NEW DELHI: Prime Minister
Narendra Modi on Friday approved ex-gratia relief of Rs 2 lakh each for the kin of those killed due to duststorm/thunderstorm that hit various north Indian states, particularly UP and
Rajasthan, on May 2.
The Prime Minister also cleared Rs 50,000 each for the seriously injured.
As many as 124 people lost their lives due to thunderstorm and lightning in five states earlier this week, the home ministry said quoting figures reported by the affected states.
The highest casualties were in UP, where 73 persons were killed and 91 injured. In Rajasthan, 35 persons were killed and 209 injured in the thunderstorm that, as per the state government’s report, also uprooted 12,000 electric poles and damaged 2,500 transformers.
While six persons were killed in Uttarakhand, two lives were lost in
Punjab. Another 8 persons died under similar conditions in Telangana.
A fresh warning was issued on Friday about possible thunderstorm accompanied with squall or gusty winds for the next 3-4 days.
While Friday’s weather bulletin alerted the four states of West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar and
Uttar Pradesh, thunderstorm with squall and hail was forecast on Saturday at isolated places in Uttarakhand, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, West Bengal and Sikkim.
Gusty winds may hit places in J&K,
Himachal Pradesh and Punjab, said the meteorological department.
On May 6 and 7, thunderstorm accompanied by squall and hail is likely at isolated spots in J&K, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Thunderstorm and squall is also forecast in parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, western UP, West Bengal,
Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Eastern UP may witness thunderstorm with gusty winds on May 6.
Dust storms are very likely at isolated places in UP and Rajasthan on Saturday and Sunday.
File photo of PM Narendra Modi