Lucknow, September 2

As many as 16 people died and 12 were injured in rain-related incidents across Uttar Pradesh since Saturday, officials said on Sunday, with the meteorological department predicting rainfall throughout the state for the next two days.

Shahjahanpur bore the brunt of the weather’s onslaught on Saturday as six persons, including four children, were killed in incidents of lightning strike while seven were injured.

A statement by the office of the UP Relief Commissioner said on Sunday, “Six persons  lost their lives in Shahjahanpur while three died in Sitapur district of the state.”

“Two people died each in Auraiyya and Amethi. One person each died in Lakhimpur Khiri, Rae Bareli and Unnao. All the deaths took place yesterday,” it said.

Eighteen animals perished and 461 houses/huts were damaged, the statement said.

The meteorological department said widespread rain is predicted in eastern and western parts of the state on Monday and Tuesday.

District Magistrate Amrit Tripathi said some youngsters were grazing cattle in Shamsherpur village on Saturday when a sudden downpour forced them to take shelter under a tree where they were hit by lightning.

“Financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh is being made available to kin of the deceased,” he said. — PTI

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IAF rescues 14 stranded in Lalitpur, Jhansi 

Lucknow: Air Force personnel on Sunday rescued 14 persons stranded in Lalitpur and Jhansi districts of Uttar Pradesh due to heavy rain, officials said. Six people were marooned in a village of Lalitpur while eight fishermen were stranded on an island near Erech dam on the Betwa in Garautha tehsil of Jhansi.