Uttar Pradesh Deadly Storms Kill More Than Over 100, Viral Videos Show Massive Destruction Across Districts

UTTAR PRADESH VIOLENT STORM: More than 100 people have died in Uttar Pradesh after a sudden violent storm picked up pace. Trees were blown down and several homes were also damaged throughout the State. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has condoled the deaths and directed financial assistance be disbursed in 24 hours. Prayagraj saw the most deaths, with 21, followed by 18 deaths in Bhadohi, 15 in Mirzapur, 10 in Fatehpur, six in Unnao, six in Badaun, four each in Pratapgarh and Bareilly, and two each in Sitapur, Raebareli and Chandauli.

More than 100 people die in UP storm 

Two people have also died each in Kanpur Dehat, Hardoi and Kanpur Sambhal; one each in Kaushambi, Shahjahanpur, Sonbhadra and Lakhimpur. Several roads were blocked, and vehicles were crushed due to fallen trees. Additionally, many houses were damaged by storms. Those who were caught were rescued by the rescuers using their bare hands to dig through the debris.

A number of videos have been posted from throughout the state showing the strength of the storms. In Bareilly, one is seen being thrown into the air with a tin shed, and a distance of 50 feet into a field by strong winds.

What is a Thundersquall storm?

A thundersquall isn’t just any storm. Rather, it is a sudden and fierce convection storm characterized by a high temperature gradient between superheated land and comparatively cool air above. In short, it’s like a giant heat engine in the sky.

Let’s get technical here. In the month of May, the plains of northern India experience temperatures above 40°C. This hot air near the surface rises rapidly due to its lower density, a phenomenon referred to by meteorologists as “convection.”

In turn, this rising air mass draws in cooler and wetter air from different locations. The resulting clash leads to the formation of cumulonimbus clouds, which give rise to thunderstorms and squalls of rain, hail, and lightning.

Why did this storm develop over Punjab? 

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) bulletin of May 13, the region experienced the presence of a Western Disturbance over North Pakistan and the Jammu region. Moreover, there was a cyclonic circulation present over South Haryana and Northwest Uttar Pradesh.

Western Disturbances are storms arising over the Mediterranean Sea and traveling eastwards through Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan into the Indian subcontinent. It is an extratropical storm, meaning it develops outside the tropics, due to the westerlies, a band of wind blowing from west to east through the mid-latitudes.

ALSO READ: Viral video: Man Standing On Tin Shed Tossed Several Feet Into Air Like A Toy As Weather Turns Harsh In UP’s Bareilly | Watch