JAIPUR/JAISALMER/UDAIPUR/JODHPUR: Heavy dust storm, rainfall and hailstorm wreaked havoc across the state for the second consecutive day on Wednesday. The toll in rain-related mishaps has risen to 25. The disaster and relief department held a meeting and have created a WhatsApp group of the district collectors of the districts badly affected by the rainfall and hailstorm to get updated on the disaster and relief work undertaken by various districts.With the forecast of continuation of similar conditions in the state in the next 24 hours, high alert was sounded in the districts including Jalore, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Jodhpur , Pali, Kota, Jhalawar, Baran, Dausa and Alwar.Dust storm, hail storm and rainfall continued to play a spoilsport across the state when many incidents of wall collapse, uprooting of trees, electric and telephonic cables were uprooted,Ashutosh AT Pednekar, the secretary, disaster and relief department held a meeting and contacted district collectors of various districts including Jhalawar, Kota, Jalore, Barmer, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and others where bad weather proved fatal to the farmers and to the human lives. "I have asked the district collector to assess the damages and ensure timely payment of the cheques to the kin of those who were killed in the disaster. As per the data relating to the rain related deaths five people were killed in Udaipur district, 4 each in Jaipur and Jhalawar, 2 each in Jalore, Bundi and Rajsamand, 1 each in Baran ,Bhilwara, Alwar, Hanumangarh, Pali and Pratapgarh districts of the state," said Pednekar while talking to TOI on Wednesday.Rs 4 lakh each as ex-gratia to the family of deceased has been announced by the state government. "We have asked the district collectors to ensure timely payment of the cheques. They have also been directed to send the pictures of giving cheques of ex-gratia to the family of the deceased on our Whatsapp group," he added.In western Rajasthan's Jalore district two persons died including a child when a electricity pole fell down. Jalore additional district collector Chagan Lal Goyal said, "Two people including a child were killed killed in natural disaster. "Heavy rainfall, dust storm and hail storm continued across the state. At Barmer, rain started at 8 pm in the evening and continued and there was hails in many villages in Dhorimanna, Sheo area.Similarly, Jaipur also witnessed bad weather conditions which affected air traffic from the Jaipur airport. Disturbing weather affected at least six flights from the Jaipur airport.Likewise the abrupt swing in weather conditions also disrupted the public meeting of the chief minister Ashok Gehlot scheduled atJojawar in Pali district. Even the alternative arrangements made by the administration by altering the place in the evening also failed to serve the purpose to the inclement weather in the night. "Water logging was witnessed at the helipad made for Gehlot's helicopter and thetent raised for the meeting," said an officer. Many wedding programs also went awry due to storm and rain in Pali and Jalore districts.<doc-sep>Rain damage in Punjab | Photo Credit: ANI New Delhi: Twenty-five people were killed as heavy rains and thunderstorm lashed several parts of Rajasthan on Wednesday. Besides, several parts of north and northeast India are expected to witness thunderstorm and heavy rainfall over the next 24 hours — India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. According to a PTI report, over 50 people have died due to rains, lightning and thunderstorm in states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. According to the IMD prediction, thunderstorm, lightning and winds with speeds reaching up to 40- 50 km per hour are likely to hit states of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi, northeast Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand during the next 24 hours. Meanwhile, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot took a stock of the damage situation in the state and said that a survey has been ordered so that a compensation could be given to affected individuals on time. "Farmers have suffered losses due to the rains and storm and it is a matter of concern. I asked the chief secretary yesterday to get the survey of losses conducted immediately so that compensation could be given on time," Gehlot was quoted by PTI as saying. The sudden change in the weather has been attributed to a 'western disturbance'. A survey of crop damage is being carried out by district-level officers in Rajasthan. According to reports by news agency ANI, heavy rains also damaged food grains at Mandi in Madhya Pradesh's Mandsaur district. Standing crops in Ludhiana were also damaged due to unseasonal rain last night.<doc-sep>Over 50 people were killed as rains coupled with thunderstorm and lightning hit several parts of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra overnight, officials said Wednesday. The unseasonal rains and storm also caused damage to property and crops in Gujarat and Rajasthan. Rajasthan witnessed the maximum casualties with 25 people killed in rain-related incidents following by Madhya Pradesh where 15 were killed. While 10 people were killed in Gujarat, three were killed in Maharashtra. Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter in the morning to express anguish over the loss of lives in the rains in Gujarat and announce relief. Soon afterwards Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath hit out at the prime minister, accusing him of being concerned only about his home state Gujarat. The PMO in a tweet later said, "PM @narendramodi has expressed grief at loss of lives due to unseasonal rains and storms in MP, Rajasthan, Manipur & various parts of the country." "An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to unseasonal rain & storms in MP, Rajasthan, Manipur & various parts of the country has been approved from the PM's National Relief Fund. Rs 50,000 each for the injured has also been approved," the PMO said. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the government is closely monitoring the situation in rain-hit areas and is ready to provide all possible help to states affected by rains and thunderstorm. Rajasthan Disaster Management Minister Master Bhanwar Lal Meghwal said 25 people died due to unseasonal rains in the state. Compensation of Rs 4 lakh each has been announced by the Rajasthan government to the families of victims. Another official said crops have suffered damage and the assessment is being done. Several cattle were also killed in rain-related incidents. Rajasthan Chief minister Ashok Gehlot condoled the deaths and directed officials to carry out survey of losses and damaged caused due to the rough weather. "Farmers have suffered losses due to the rains and storm and it is a matter of concern. I asked the chief secretary yesterday (Tuesday) to get the survey of losses conducted immediately so that compensation could be given on time," Gehlot told reporters on Wednesday. Rajasthan Relief Secretary Ashutosh A T Pednekar informed that 21 of the 25 deaths occurred in Jhalawar, Udaipur, Jaipur (four each), Jalore, Bundi (two each), Baran, Rajsamand, Bhilwara, Alwar and Hanumangarh (one each). Heavy dust storm accompanied by moderate to heavy rains, thundershowers also lashed parts of Hadouti region (Kota division) on Tuesday causing damage to crops. The MeT Department has predicted dust storm/thunderstorm accompanied with high velocity winds and lightning at a few places during the next 24 hours. Widespread rainfall accompanied by high-velocity winds lashed vast swathes of Punjab and Haryana also, causing damage to crops. Expressing concern over the crop losses, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh ordered urgent steps to ascertain the extent of the damage to crops so that due compensation could be awarded to the affected farmers at the earliest. Officials in Bhopal said unseasonal rain accompanied by thunderstorm and lightning hit various parts of Madhya Pradesh, leaving 15 people dead and injuring some others. Rains claimed three lives each in Indore, Dhar and Shajapur, two in Ratlam and one each in Alirajpur, Rajgarh, Sehore and Chhindwara districts. Nath expressed grief over the deaths and charged that Modi's concerns were limited to his home state Gujarat. "Modiji, you are the PM of the country and not of Gujarat. In MP also, more than 10 persons were killed because of unseasonal rains, storm and lightning. But you have confined your feelings to Gujarat only. Though your party has no government here people live here also," Nath said in a tweet. The BJP hit back, accusing Nath of doing politics over the loss caused by rains and storm. BJP media head and Rajya Sabha MP Anil Baluni said in Delhi that Nath is well aware of the procedure that the state government has to first inform the Centre about the damage in such a natural tragedy to get relief but instead of doing so, he was tweeting and doing politics. "Instead of informing the Centre, he chose to do politics over the tragedy," Baluni charged. In Ahmedabad, Gujarat government's Director of Relief G B Manglpara told PTI that at least 10 people have died in the rain and dust storm reported from various areas, including districts in North Gujarat and Saurashtra region.Also, a portion of a tent erected for Modi's rally in Himmatnagar town of North Gujarat was also damaged in the dust storm, an official had said. Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani announced an aid of Rs 2 lakh each to kin of the deceased in the western state. "While the prime minister has already announced ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh, the Gujarat government will also give Rs 2 lakh to kin of those who lost their lives," Rupani told reporters in Dahod. "We will also conduct a survey to assess the damage to crops and pay accordingly to affected persons," he added. Apart from rain, the storm also resulted in hailstorm in some parts of Rajkot district of Saurashtra and Banaskantha district of north Gujarat. In Maharashtra, a 71-year-old woman, a 32-year-old man and a temple priest died when lightning struck them in Nashik district during rains on Tuesday, police said.<doc-sep>Thirty-one people were killed in three states as rain and thunder storm caused by western disturbance hit parts of north India on Tuesday causing damage to property and crops, reports ANI. While 16 people died in Madhya Pradesh, six deaths were reported from Rajasthan and nine from Gujarat. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund for the next of kin of those who lost their lives. “PM @narendramodi has expressed grief at the loss of lives due to unseasonal rains and storms in MP, Rajasthan, Manipur & various parts of the country. The government is doing its best to provide all possible assistance to those affected. The situation is being monitored closely,” the PMO tweeted. In Rajasthan, gusty winds triggered by western disturbance affected normal life in several areas. Chittorgarh, Sriganganagar, Ajmer, Kota and Pilani received heavy rainfall, according to the Met department. “Western Disturbance and winds with moisture from Arabian sea and Bay of Bengal are developing this kind of weather conditions. Gusty winds are causing dust storm mainly in Western parts of the state because the soil is loose and there is lack of moisture there,” a Met official said. Thunderstorm also occurred in eastern parts of the state and similar weather conditions are most likely to prevail till Tuesday night. In Gujarat, a dust storm damaged part of a tent being erected for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s April 17 rally in Himmatnagar town in Sabarkantha district of Gujarat. Some covering material of the structure was either blown away or torn apart, local BJP leaders said, adding that the structure, which is intended to provide shade to people and dignitaries on stage, remained largely intact.<doc-sep>
Manali witnessed rare snowfall in summer Key Highlights Dust and thunderstorms swept through west, central and north India as a major weather disturbance pummeled the region So far 64 deaths were reported, most of which were due to lightning strikes, electrocution and tree falls The storms across west, central and north were caused by an intense western disturbance NEW DELHI: Dust and thunderstorms swept through west, central and north India as a major weather disturbance pummeled the region over the past 48 hours, claiming the lives of at least 64 people, a majority of them in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Most of the deaths were due to lightning strikes, electrocution and tree falls. Rajasthan reported 25 deaths, Madhya Pradesh 21 and Gujarat 10, while three people died in Maharashtra since Monday. There were also reports of damage to crops due to strong winds, rain and hailstorms in Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and other places. The deaths also triggered a political spat after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter on Wednesday morning to express anguish over the loss of lives in Gujarat and announce relief. Soon afterwards Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath hit out at the Prime Minister, accusing him of being concerned only about his home state, Gujarat. The PMO, in a later tweet, said, “PM @narendramodi has expressed grief at loss of lives due to unseasonal rains and storms in MP, Rajasthan, Manipur & various parts of the country.” The storms across west, central and north were caused by an intense western disturbance that drew moisture from the Arabian Sea and clashed with an easterly wave coming from the Bay of Bengal. “The interaction between the two components caused widespread lightning events. Although the dust and thunderstorms unleashed by the disturbance were not very intense, these were distributed across a vast swathe of land which added to the death toll,” said B P Yadav, head of IMD’s regional meteorological centre in New Delhi. Yadav said the worst of the storms was now over and weather will start getting drier in most parts, except in east India, from Thursday. The PMO announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of those who lost their lives in the unseasonal rain and storms across the country from the PM's National Relief Fund. Rs 50,000 each for the injured has also been approved. States also separately announced relief, with Rajasthan and MP governments saying they would give a compensation of Rs 4 lakh each to the next of kin of those who lost their lives while Gujarat announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh. In Madhya Pradesh, apart from 21 people killed in the storms, over two dozen were injured. Damage to standing and harvested crops in large parts of the state, especially Indore and Ujjain divisions, was also reported. The worst affected districts in Rajasthan were Jalore, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Jodhpur, Pali, Kota, Jhalawar, Baran, Dausa and Alwar. The toll in rain-related mishaps across the state since Tuesday has risen to 25. Rajasthan’s disaster and relief department held a meeting and created a Whatsapp group of the district collectors of the badly hit districts to get speedy updates on disaster and relief works. Many incidents of wall collapse as well as uprooting of trees, electric and telephonic cables were reported. Heavy rain, dust and hail storms continued across the state on Wednesday. In Barmer, rain started at 8pm on Tuesday and continued intermittently through the next day, with reports of hailstorms in many villages. Jaipur also witnessed bad weather which affected air traffic. At least six flights were hit. In Gujarat, storms were reported from districts in the north and Saurashtra region. Most of the damaged took place on Tuesday. “A total of 10 deaths have been reported from different districts since Tuesday. Three have died in Mehsana, two in Banaskantha and one each in Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Morbi, Sabarkantha, and Patan districts,” said a state emergency operations centre official. The rains were preceded by dust storms in most parts of the state, with gusting winds uprooting a large number of trees.