36 people have died in 24 hours due to accidents and lightning strikes during heavy rains in the northern regions of India.
According to the French news agency AFP, officials in India have said that a warning of more heavy rains has been issued in the coming days.
Relief Commissioner Ranveer Prasad said that around 24 people were killed when houses collapsed during heavy rains in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh.
Officials said that 12 people have been killed in lightning incidents in India in 24 hours, while 39 people have been killed in lightning incidents in Uttar Pradesh in 5 days.
Sunita Narayan, director general of the Center for Science and Environment, says a one degree Celsius (1.8 degree Fahrenheit) rise in temperature increases lightning strikes 12-fold.
During the last one year, there has been a 34% increase in the number of lightning strikes in India, due to which the deaths have also increased.
Officials say that 1,489 deaths due to lightning were recorded in India in 2016, while the number increased to 2,869 in 2021.