Twenty eight people have died over the 48 hours as heavy rain, thunderstorms and lightning strikes caused widespread damage across Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, with the weather department warning of more adverse conditions in several northern states.In UP's Hamirpur district, four labourers and two security guards were killed after a section of an under-construction bridge collapsed during a storm. (PTI)Uttar Pradesh remained the most severely affected state, recording 11 deaths across three districts due to sudden rain and severe thunderstorms.In Hamirpur district, four labourers and two security guards were killed after a section of an under-construction bridge over the Betwa River near Morakandar Parsari village collapsed during a storm in the early hours of Friday, officials said. Out of the seven workers carrying out wiring work on the bridge, a State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) team rescued three people.Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the incident and announced an ex gratia grant of ₹5 lakh each for the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured.In Kaushambi district, three members of a family, including two children, were killed and another child was injured after a tree fell on a mud house following heavy rain and a severe storm on Friday, police said. The incident occurred around 4 am in Purab Sharira village when Maya Devi (28), her sons Ankush (5) and Anubhav (4), and her daughter Shweta (3) were sleeping inside the house.In Jalaun, a severe storm accompanied by heavy rain and lightning killed two people and injured at least seven others, officials said. The storm also led to the death of 23 animals and partially damaged 45 houses, according to the District Disaster Management Authority’s damage report.According to the district administration, Sukhdevi (55), a resident of the Umrar Kheda locality in Orai, and Moolchand (60), a resident of Bajida village under the Kotwali area, died in storm-related incidents on Thursday night. The administration has initiated financial assistance of ₹4 lakh each for the families of the deceased.7 killed in WB, Bihar eachRains also lashed several districts of West Bengal, where at least seven people were killed and many others were injured on Friday, minutes before the IMD issued a red warning.Chief minister Suvendu Adhikari announced a compensation of ₹4 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased. He also said the government would bear the treatment costs for those injured. “Seven people were killed and some have been injured as lightning and thunderstorms hit multiple districts, including Kolkata, South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly, West Midnapore, and Purulia. The deaths and injuries were primarily caused by lightning, wall collapses, and electrocution,” he said.In Bihar, seven people lost their lives due to lightning strikes in the past 24 hours, officials said. The deaths were reported from Aurangabad (2), Gaya (3), and one each from Saran and Khagaria, they added.Chief minister Samrat Choudhary expressed his condolences and directed the Disaster Management Department to immediately provide an ex gratia grant of ₹4 lakh to families of the deceased.3 killed in Madhya PradeshTorrential rain wreaked havoc across more than 12 districts of Madhya Pradesh, leaving three dead and two injured in Bhind district. According to officials, Sumitra died instantly after being struck by lightning, while Jitendra Singh Tomar was killed when a roof slab collapsed on him in Gohad. In another incident, the roof of Jagmohan Singh Gurjar’s house gave way under the downpour, killing Shiv Kumar Gurjar on the spot. His brothers, Ramveer Singh Gurjar (45) and Amar Singh Gurjar (65), sustained injuries.Meanwhile, parts of Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Jharkhand also received heavy rainfall accompanied by lightning and thunderstorms, bringing relief from the scorching heat but also disrupting daily life.With agency inputs