Lucknow: As many as 45 people have been killed in a dust storm that hit many parts of Uttar Pradesh overnight, a government spokesman said on Thursday. Of these, 36 died in Agra alone.

More than three dozen persons have also been injured in the storm and the lightning that struck the state on Wednesday night.

A total of 156 cattle died in different districts.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who is campaigning for the BJP in Karnataka, has directed officials to ensure rescue and relief operations in the storm hit districts of Agra, Bijnore, Bareilly, Saharanpur, Pilibhit, Firozabad, Chitrakoot, Muzaffarnagar, Rae Bareli and Unnao.