What powered the dramatic storm that flung a UP man into the air? Watch
So far, at least 89 people have been confirmed dead during the spell of intense storms that arrived in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday.
A man in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, was swept high into the air along with a large tin shed during a severe storm on May 13.
He survived, but with multiple fractures in his arms and legs, leaving him critically injured. A video of the incident, captured by bystanders, has since gone viral, leaving millions of viewers shaken.
The storm that swept the man off his feet was no freak event and was part of a devastating outbreak of squalls, duststorms, lightning, and heavy rain that tore across Uttar Pradesh, killing at least 89 people, flattening homes, and downing power lines.
The destruction has left many wondering about what made this storm so deadly.
WHAT POWERED THE STORMS?
The destruction in Bareilly was not an isolated event but was part of a sweeping outbreak of storms, dust squalls, heavy rain, and lightning that tore through Uttar Pradesh, and the conditions that fuelled them have been building for weeks.
May is the peak pre-monsoon season across North India, a period when hot, dry air masses from Rajasthan and western UP collide violently with cooler, moisture-laden winds pushing in from the Bay of Bengal.
This clash creates intense atmospheric instability, the same mechanism that produces the towering thunderclouds responsible for lightning, gusty squalls, and hail.
This week, an active Western Disturbance, a weather system originating over the Mediterranean that periodically sweeps across northern India, combined with that pre-monsoon moisture to supercharge the storms, pushing wind speeds to destructive levels across multiple districts simultaneously.
The IMD had earlier flagged thundersqualls with gusts reaching 50 to 60 kmph for Uttar Pradesh on May 12 and 13.
DEADLY STORMS BATTER UP
The Bareilly event is part of widespread destruction caused by sudden storms, dust storms, heavy rain, and lightning across Uttar Pradesh.
So far, at least 89 people have been confirmed dead during the spell of intense storms that arrived in the state.
Most of these deaths were caused mainly from lightning strikes, falling trees, collapsing walls, and flying debris.
Several districts have been hit, homes have been damaged, and power supply disrupted, sending the authorities and locals scrambling to recover.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed officials to provide immediate compensation to victims' families within 24 hours and to carry out relief work on priority. District magistrates have been asked to stay on the ground and oversee operations personally.
Meanwhile, rescue teams are working round the clock to clear debris and help affected people.
As pre-monsoon activity brings more such weather, meteorological experts advise people to avoid open areas during storms and secure temporary structures better.
The startling video is a reminder of how extreme the weather in India can get within days.