At least 26 persons were killed and more than 30 injured in a strong dust storm that lashed Uttar Pradesh last eveinng. With the speed of around seventy five miles per hour, the gusty winds also caused the collapse of several walls and damaged hundreds of roadside bill boards.

The storm also impacted deeply in Kanpur division where several people were reportedly killed due to tree and wall collapse. The storm has also caused enormous damage to the Rabi crop.

The winds, which was followed by showers, uprooted trees, electricity poles and hutments, causing severe damage to public and private property. The Meteorological Department said that storm and rainfall were results of western disturbance over Rajasthan.