Four injured as thunderstorm hits Rishikesh

Four persons were injured and the power department suffered losses worth lakhs of rupees when a thunderstorm hit the city last evening uprooting nearly 50 trees, damaging dozens of electric poles and affecting power supply.

Four persons sustained injuries when a tree uprooted by the thunderstorm fell on the car in which they were travelling, Rishikesh Power Distribution Executive Engineer Vijay Kumar Singh said.

They were rushed to a government hospital where their condition is out of danger, Dr Santosh Pant said.

The thunderstorm occurred at about 5.30 pm and lasted only 4 minutes, MeT office Director Anand Sharma said.
 

However, the damage done to electric poles worth nearly Rs 15 lakh affected power supply in a number of areas in the city which is yet to be fully restored, Singh said.