Storms kill 56 across Uttar Pradesh, damage infrastructure and crops

At least 24 districts in Uttar Pradesh were affected by thunderstorms, strong winds, and hail from the night of May 21 into May 22.

According to official data, 6 deaths were reported in Fatehpur, 5 in Kasganj, and 4 each in Meerut, Kanpur Nagar, Bulandshahr, Etah, and Auraiya. Three fatalities occurred in both Gautam Buddha Nagar and Kannauj, while Ghaziabad, Firozabad, Kanpur Dehat, and Etawah each reported 2 deaths.

One death was reported in each of the following districts: Aligarh, Hathras, Chitrakoot, Ambedkar Nagar, Jhansi, Agra, Unnao, Baghpat, Azamgarh, and Ayodhya.

Among the fatalities, at least two were caused by lightning strikes — one in Chitrakoot and one in Ambedkar Nagar.

Over a 100 parrots died while 50 were injured in Jhansi as the storms swept across the state.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath monitored the situation and directed officials to begin relief and rescue operations in the affected districts. Relief Commissioner Bhanu Chandra Goswami instructed all divisional commissioners to release compensation to the families of the deceased within 24 hours.

The storms caused widespread damage across Uttar Pradesh, including fallen trees and downed power lines blocking roads. In Budaun, a large fire engulfed a mentha oil factory after a structural collapse triggered by strong winds.

Firefighters battled the blaze through the night. Due to the presence of mentha oil and chemicals, water was ineffective, and foam was used to control the fire.

According to fire officials, the blaze began when part of the factory collapsed due to high winds, generating sparks that ignited stored oil. Nitrogen cylinders inside the factory reportedly exploded during the incident.

District Fire Officer Ramraj Yadav confirmed that no fatalities occurred in the incident. Union Minister of State B. L. Verma visited the site to oversee firefighting efforts.

In Baghpat, the storm and accompanying rain on Wednesday evening affected mango orchards. Farmers in the Rataul area reported that approximately 20% of small mangoes had fallen prematurely.

In Barot town, the power supply was disrupted after more than 20 electricity poles and wires were damaged. Local authorities began damage assessments, while affected farmers and livestock owners are requesting immediate compensation.

In Mathura district, power lines were damaged after falling trees caused disruptions to the electricity supply. In Mainpuri, around 400 electricity poles were downed. The storm also caused multiple building and wall collapses.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) attributed the severe weather to cyclonic circulations over Punjab, which generated winds of 60–100 km/h (37 –62 mph) and caused heavy rainfall in parts of eastern Uttar Pradesh.

More thunderstorms are expected through Monday, May 26, with the possibility of light to moderate rain and gusty winds, particularly in central Uttar Pradesh and the Terai region.

Rishav Kothari

I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.

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