Nine killed, 200 injured in dust storm in UP

Lucknow, April 12 (IANS) Nine people were killed and more than 200 injured when a severe dust storm hit many parts of Uttar Pradesh late Wednesday, police said.

According to information collected by the state government, the storm was at its deadliest in Jalaun district, about 130 km from here, where nine people were killed in different incidents.

Police said the storm forced several trains to a halt. Many houses collapsed, and power and telephone poles were uprooted.

Standing crop worth crores of rupees has been damaged, an official told IANS Thursday.

A high velocity storm hit the Jalaun area around midnight and continued for more than two hours, following which all traffic movement on roads and train services were stopped near Orai, about 190 km from here, till the storm passed.

Telecom services in and around the district have been affected.