Agra put on 72-hour weather alert till Monday

This comes after a 132-kmph dust storm hit Agra on the intervening night of Wednesday-Thursday bringing heavy showers and hailstorm that killed 44 people and destroyed properties worth in crores

The weather office on Friday sounded a 72-hour alert till Monday here in Uttar Pradesh, Agra District Magistrate Gaurav Dayal said and issued a detailed advisory to manage any imminent disaster.

This comes after a 132-kmph dust storm hit the city on the intervening night of Wednesday-Thursday bringing heavy showers and hailstorm that killed 44 people and destroyed properties worth in crores.

The doctors at the S.N. Medical College have conducted postmortem of 44 bodies, who succumbed to injuries. The number of deaths were expected to rise.

Agra has witnessed two devastating storms in 20 days. More than 1,400 villages continue to remain without power supply, an official said.

Trains were still running late. Historical buildings, including the Taj Mahal have suffered extensive damages. Two wooden doors of the Taj minarets have been damaged and several trees in the mausoleum were uprooted.

Divisional Commissioner K. Ram Mohan Rao and Dayal have visited the medical college hospital to review arrangements.

A separate ward has been opened there and a dedicated team of doctors has been deputed.

Rao told medical staff to provide prompt services and ensure there was no lack of medicines.

Dayal along with Special Superintendent Amit Pathak and other senior officials visited several villages in Khairagarh.

A team of officials were deputed to survey affected villages and evaluate loss of property and crop. The district magistrate has promised adequate compensation.