6, including 3 of a family, killed in thunderstorm in Prayagraj region

Prayagraj: At least six people including three members of a family were killed and three others injured after severe thunderstorms, accompanied by lightning, winds and rains, swept through the Prayagraj region on Thursday night. The storm caused widespread destruction and significant damage to buildings and infrastructure.

The casualties included four deaths in Kaushambi and one each in Prayagraj and Pratapgarh districts. Relief and rescue operations are currently underway in the affected districts.

The severe storm also uprooted hundreds of trees, damaged many houses, electric poles, and caused wall collapse incidents.

In Kaushambi district, three members of a family including a woman identified as Maya Devi (28) and two of her kids - Anubhav (3) and Shweta (5), residents of village Duni Tiwari Ka Purwa Mazra under the limits of Paschim Sarira police station were killed after a heavy branch of tree fell on their houses due to storm late on Thursday night. Another kid identified as Ankush (8) sustained injuries in the incident and was admitted at hospital for treatment. Similarly, a 51-year-old man identified as Chandrabhawan Gautam, a resident of Paharpur under the limits of Mohabbatpur Painsa police station lost his life after he was trapped under the tin-shed structure of the house where he was sleeping.

In Pratapgarh, a woman identified as Phoolkali (81) was killed in ward no 11, Fatoohabad under the limits of Maheshganj police station when she was trapped under tin shade and a pillar damaged by storm.

In Prayagraj, a 55-year-old man VK Singh was killed in Subhash Nagar under Koraon tehsil on Thursday night when he was trapped under the debris of collapsed barza(balcony). The incident took place when the victim was sleeping under a tin-shade and the debris of a collapsed balcony fell on the tin-shade. Besides, two women sustained injuries when they were trapped under the debris of a kaccha house in the Meja area.

Thursday late night storm accompanied by rains brought mercury down offering a major respite to citizens from scorching sun and heat wave but caused water logging and other problems for locals on Friday morning.