Death toll rises

The death toll from freak storms that hit India climbed above 140 yesterday as people told how they had no time to escape fierce winds which tore down homes, walls and trees.

Many families in the worst hit states of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan spent the night fearing new chaos and the interior ministry warned of possible thunderstorms in the region.

Victims told how 130 kilometre (80 mile) an hour winds carrying choking sand hit so quickly late Wednesday that they had no time to reach safety from falling walls.

The dust storms claimed 121 lives in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and nearby Uttarakhand and Punjab states, according to latest official tolls.

Separately 21 people were killed by lightning in two southern states.

Authorities in Uttar Pradesh, where 76 died, and Rajasthan, where the storms claimed 39 lives, battled to restore power, clear roads and help people who lost houses.

Agra district was one of the worst hit areas with at least 43 people killed, according to the state disaster management authority.

The India Meteorological Department has warned there are likely to be more storms over a wider area until Tuesday.

Storms and lightning strikes kill many people every year in India but this was one of the most severe series of storms in recent decades.

The head of the Telangana state disaster management department, R V Chandravadan, said volatile weather would also continue in the southern region.

Seven people were killed Thursday in lightning strikes and strong winds. "We have similar weather warnings for next two days," Chandravadan told AFP.

Another 14 people were killed in Andhra Pradesh, which was hit by more than 41,000 lightning strikes late Tuesday.