39 die in UP storm; toll in monsoon areas reaches 65

New Delhi, June 1 (UNI) At least 39 people were killed and over 60 injured in storms in Uttar Pradesh overnight while the toll in monsoon-related deaths reached 65 in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Gujarat and Tripura.

At least 39 people were reported killed and over 60 injured in widespread storms that hit Mirzapur, Allahabad and Bhadohi districts of Uttar Pradesh in the last 24 hrs.

The met office said several trees were uprooted in the eastern UP region yesterday when the storm hit with a velocity of 100 kms/hr.

Allahabad, Bhadohi and Mirzapur districts accounted for 13, 14 and 12 deaths respectively.

Meanwhile, the humidity levels were quite high the state making the weather sultry and uncomfortable.

In Kerala, the toll in monsoon-related incidents rose to 27, with eight more deaths being reported today, even as the incessant rains continued to wreck havoc on standing crops and driving more people to relief camps.

All the major rivers in the state were flowing over the danger mark and the people living on the banks were alerted. The dams have also started to fill up with good rains in the catchment areas.

It is estimated that more than 11,000 people were in the relief camps. More than 20 relief camps have now been opened in the different districts.

The sources said about 3000 houses were damaged, some of them completely till now, and the agricultural loss had been estimated to the tune of Rs 7.5 crore.

According to local weather office, Signal No Three Warning Flag would be hoisted in all the ports in Kerala as sea would be rough to very rough during the next 48 hours.

At least 19 people were killed in different parts of Maharashtra. Four people died in Ratnagri, three in Mumbai, two in Sindhudurg, one each in Dhule and Nagpur and eight in Aurangabad division in the past two days. All the deaths were caused due to lightening or wall collapses, director general of Information and Publicity Bhushan Gagrani said.

Meanwhile the death toll in rain-related incidents in Karnataka rose to 15 as torrential rains, lashing the coastal and Ghat areas of south interior Karnataka, continued.

The bodies of the remaining two fishermen of the total six who were feared drowned were washed ashore -- one last night and another today.

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