Nine persons including four children were killed after being struck by lightning in different areas of two districts in the state, police said today.
The deaths were reported in different areas of the Sonebhadra and Gonda districts since last night. The strikes also left five people with serious burn injuries, they said.
Sonebhadra has witnessed a dust storm followed by heavy rains since yesterday.
The victims in Sonebhadra were identified as Bhagwan Bind (68), Suddu (9), Safiullaha (16), Sharda (5), Mahendra (38), Reeshu (10) and Sudhir (14) and, in Gonda Vishal (11) and Kariya (22), they added.
The five others seriously injured were in Gonda, they added.
