Indian workers repair damage after deadly dust storm

LUCKNOW, India – Workers were rushing to restore electricity to scores of towns and villages in northern and western India where a powerful dust storm and thundershowers caused more than 100 deaths and injured another 200.

Winds blew up to 130 kilometers per hour (80 miles per hour) as the storm swept through Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan states on Wednesday night, demolishing hundreds of mud huts, uprooting trees and causing extensive damage to wheat and vegetable crops.

It also damaged electric poles and transformers, plunging parts of 20 districts of Uttar Pradesh state into darkness, state Relief Commissioner Sanjay Kumar said Friday.

Amid repair and relief work by authorities, India's meteorological department warns another powerful dust storm would sweep parts of the two states this weekend.