
An 'apocalyptic' dust storm with lightning strikes, fierce winds and heavy rain has left at least 77 people dead and 143 injured after battering parts of northern India.
Many of the victims were sleeping when homes collapsed, trees were uprooted and electricity poles were knocked down by violent weather in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh states.
The worst-hit areas included Agra, Alwar, Bharatpur and Dholpur, where most of the deaths occurred as the storm caused widespread devastation in the early hours of Thursday.
Most of the victims died when their homes collapsed or when they were crushed by falling trees, local media reported.
In Behror, a 12-year-old girl died when an iron sheet blown by strong winds hit her in the head, the Times of India reported.
