36 die in heavy rains in Uttar Pradesh in the last 24 hours

Lucknow : Continuing heavy rains in Uttar Pradesh have claimed 36 lives in the last 24 hours.

Expressing grief over the loss of lives, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has given instructions to immediately distribute a relief amount of Rs 4 lakh each to the families of the deceased and provide proper treatment to those injured in various natural calamities.

Uttar Pradesh has already received 11 per cent excess rainfall during this monsoon season, causing a rise in river water levels, hitting traffic movement in cities, and inundating farms in rural pockets.

According to information from the relief commissioner’s office, 17 people died due to lightning, 12 due to drowning, and seven due to heavy rainfall in the state in the last 24 hours.

Rainfall was witnessed in around 68 of the state’s 75 districts, according to India Metrological Department (IMD) data.

In the last 24 hours alone, the state received 56 per cent higher than normal or “excess” rainfall -- 13.6 mm against the normal of 8.7 mm, the weather data showed.

Muzaffarnagar received maximum 67.4 mm rainfall, Meerut 56 mm, Najibabad 42 mm, Jhansi 39 mm and Aligarh 25 mm.

As for the casualties in rain-related incidents, one each died in Etawah, Unnao, Agra and Ballia; two each in Jalaun, Kanpur Dehat, Kannauj and Ghazipur; and four in Mainpuri due to lightning, as per the details provided by the relief commissioner’s office.

Similarly, there was one death in Sant Kabir Nagar, two in Badaun, four in Bareilly, and five in Rae Bareli due to drowning.

Meanwhile, there has been one casualty each in Etah, Kannauj, and Kaushambhi districts.

Another two casualties were reported from Muzaffarnagar due to heavy rainfall.

IANS with superficial edits