Storm hits Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh; 13 killed

At least 13 people were killed when a storm hit Gorakhpur district in Uttar Pradesh uprooting trees and electric poles, police said today.

High velocity winds at a speed of 40kmph along with thunderstorm hit the area around 6pm last evening.

While three persons each died in Gorakhpur and Kushinagar, two each died in Mahrajganj and Deoria after uprooted trees and poles fell on them.

In Mathia village, a woman was killed after a wall collapsed.

Two persons died when a tree fell on an autorickshaw they were travelling in the district. Two co-passengers were wounded.

Trees also fell on electric poles on railway station road and other parts of the city plunging the city into darkness for about three hours.

Traffic was also disrupted in the city as well as on the Gorakhpur-Deoria and Gorakhpur-Varanasi Highway.