Rajasthan dust storm claims 17 lives

Jaipur, May 20

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Dust storm in Rajasthan has claimed 17 lives and over 60 people have been injured in incidents related to the calamity until last evening.

The severe storm, which was generated over Bikaner region and blew over Nagaur, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Alwar, Bharatpur, Sawaimadhopur and nearby regions uprooted many trees and damaged several houses on Wednesday.        

Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh for the affected families.

Bharatpur, with recorded five deaths and witnessed 50 people being injured, was the worst hit. Over 50 houses were damaged due to the strong winds in villages of the district, police said.

Dholpur and Sawaimadhopur saw three deaths each, Bikaner and Bundi saw two each and Baran and Nagaur districts saw one death each: most of the deaths were caused by being crushed under collapsing walls..

In Bundi city, 42-year-old Rajendra Singh Chopara, a dhaba owner, was killed instantly after a pillar fell on him following the dust storm, city Kotwali police said.

A 19-year-old contractual labourer was electrocuted by a hanging live cable from a high power electric line under Chechat area of Kota district Tuesday evening.

In Baran, 75-year-old Sitabai, a resident of Nimedi village, was killed when she was crushed under a balcony under which she took shelter.

Those dead in the state included five women and two girls, police said.

The powerful storm, which swept through most parts of Rajasthan, also brought down the day temperature in many areas of the desert state by few notches. Visibility remained hazy for over an hour and traffic on roads and highway was also affected, police said.

Many trees were uprooted due to the high velocity winds.

Thirty electricity polls uprooted in Nagaur's Didwana town. — PTI