Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], April 11 (ANI): The Uttar Pradesh government declared financial assistance for families of those who lost their lives in thunderstorms and lightning incidents across the state. The instructions were given to immediately distribute the permissible relief amount of Rs 4 lakh to the families of the deceased persons.

A total of 22 people died, 45 animals were killed, and 15 houses were damaged on Thursday, according to the Relief Commissioner Headquarters.

The lightning caused three deaths each in Fatehpur and Azamgarh districts, two each in Firozabad, Kanpur Dehat and Sitapur and one death each in Ghazipur, Gonda, Amethi, Sant Kabir Nagar and Siddharth Nagar.

The storm has caused one loss of life each in Ballia, Kannauj, Barabanki, Jaunpur and Unnao.

Due to storms and lightning, 17 houses were damaged in the Ghazipur district, six in Chandauli, five in Ballia, three each in Ambedkarnagar, Balrampur, and Gonda, two in Sultanpur, and one each in Amethi, Kannauj, and Gorakhpur.

Three animals were lost in a fire incident in Fatehpur. In addition, due to storms and lightning, two houses were damaged, each in the Ghazipur, Sultanpur, and Lakhimpur Kheri districts and one house each in Ballia, Gonda, Barabanki, Ambedkarnagar, Gorakhpur, Auraiya, Hardoi, Lucknow, and Mau.

There is a provision to provide compensation of Rs 37,500 for loss of large milch animal, Rs 4,000 for loss of small milch animal, etc., Rs 32,000 for loss of large non-milch animal and Rs 20,000 for loss of small non-milch animal.

The state government has taken steps to provide relief to the affected families. The India Meteorological Department had forecasted rainfall and thunderstorms in the region, prompting authorities to take necessary precautions.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted a partly cloudy sky with one or two spells of rain or thundershowers for Lucknow from April 10 to 11. (ANI)