Dust storms kill dozens in India

[knocker]

Quote

At least 76 people have died and scores more were injured in fierce dust storms that hit the northern Indian states of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

The storms on Wednesday disrupted electricity, uprooted trees, destroyed houses and killed livestock.

Many of the dead were sleeping when their houses collapsed after being struck by intense bursts of lightning.

Dust storms are common in this part of India during summer but loss of life on this scale is unusual.

The storms largely affected three districts in Rajasthan - Alwar, Bharatpur and Dholpur - where at least 31 people were killed. Officials say Alwar is worst affected. Schools in the district are closed.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-43987209?ns_mchannel=social&ocid=socialflow_twitter&ns_campaign=bbcnews&ns_source=twitter

[knocker]

Quote

Mahesh Palawat, a meteorologist at Skymet Weather Services, a private forecaster, called the storm a “freak incident,” telling The Hindustan Times that dust storms were not usually as large or intense as the one that hit the country on Wednesday. Other meteorologists said abnormally high temperatures in parts of northern India had contributed to the storm’s formation.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/03/world/asia/india-dust-storm.html?smtyp=cur&smid=tw-nytimesworld

[nick sussex]

Absolutely awful .

It always seems to be those poor communities which suffer the greatest from these storms .

As if life isn’t hard enough they often have to contend with these weather extremes .

[knocker]

 

Edited May 5, 2018 by knocker

[Snipper]

On 03/05/2018 at 10:03, knocker said:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-43987209?ns_mchannel=social&ocid=socialflow_twitter&ns_campaign=bbcnews&ns_source=twitter

I am sure the situation was not helped by all the plastic bags and rubbish that the Indians like dumping everywhere. Lovely place and lovely people that is blighted by the rubbish they seem to happily live with.