LUCKNOW (Diya TV) — At least 25 people lost their lives as lightning strikes hit 14 districts across Uttar Pradesh from Saturday night to Sunday morning, officials said.

According to the relief commissioner’s office, fatalities were reported in Prayagraj, Jaunpur, Lalitpur, Gorakhpur, Bareilly, Bijnor, Lucknow, Kanpur Dehat, Kushinagar, Shahjahanpur, Hardoi, Sambhal, Jhansi, and Jalaun districts. Prayagraj recorded five deaths, while Jaunpur reported four. Other districts recorded between one and two deaths each.

Seventeen people were killed and six injured in incidents across Prayagraj, Gorakhpur, Basti, and Jaunpur districts.

In one of the most tragic incidents, four family members perished when lightning struck their hut in Sonbarsa village under Bara police station jurisdiction in Prayagraj. Two children who were not present during the strike survived.

In another case, a man died and his wife sustained severe burns when lightning hit their hut in Kalyanpur village under Shankergarh police station area.

Relief officials, including local SDMs and tehsildars, visited affected villages. Authorities announced that families of the deceased will receive ₹3 lakh (approximately USD 3,500) each from the Natural Disaster Fund. Additionally, the surviving daughters from one affected family will receive a new home and scholarships for their education.

In the Siddharthnagar district, four people, including local traders and workers, were fatally struck. In Sahjanwa near Gorakhpur, a lightning strike hit a group of children. One child died, and two others were injured and taken to a local medical college for treatment. Another woman in Kushinagar sustained burns while returning from the fields.

Five more people, including two minors, died in separate lightning strikes in Jaunpur’s Kashidaspur, Kahjura, and Kanehra areas. A storm in Chandwak also uprooted dozens of trees and electricity poles, leading to blackouts.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered immediate relief efforts. District officers were directed to visit affected areas, assess crop damage, ensure medical treatment for the injured, and begin disbursing financial assistance.

Officials continue to assess damage and verify casualty numbers across all affected regions.