Lucknow, May 12 (IANS) At least 20 people have been killed in rain-related incidents in Uttar Pradesh after thundershowers and hailstorm lashed the state Monday night, an official said Tuesday. Wall and ceiling collapses caused most of the casualties.
With the details of the damage caused by hailstorm and rains are still being collected, officials said the casualties were reported from eight districts of Hardoi, Kannauj, Aligarh, Lucknow, Barabanki, Varanasi, Etawah and Farrukhabad.

The maximum number of deaths were reported from Hardoi where seven people died in incidents of wall and ceiling collapse.

“The casualties have been reported from Sandeela, Lonal, Bilgram, Mallawan of Hardoi. A couple along with their four-year-old kid were killed in Sandeela when a mosque that was under construction collapsed,” District Magistrate Maneesh Chauhan told IANS on phone.

“As of now, we have reports that only seven people died in rain-related incidents, but the death toll is likely to go up,” he added.

In Kannauj, three people of the same family were killed in Dandauri Khurd village after they were buried under the debris of their house that collapsed, an official said.

In Lucknow, two people were killed in the Bakshi-ka-talaab locality when a banyan tree was uprooted by the strong wind and fell on them.

Meanwhile, the state meteorological office said hailstorm and thundershowers were a result of a weather system that was hovering over large parts of the state. The system was noticed in southwestern regions of the state two days ago, before it wheeled into the centre and showed signs of extending over eastern parts.

According to the state meteorological office, such weather conditions would prevail in several districts for the next three days.