India, May 2 -- LUCKNOW/GORAKHPUR Thunderstorms, hailstorm and rain lashed Gorakhpur-Basti divisions on Thursday morning while lightning killed four people in the region. The showers were caused by a western disturbance originating in Afghanistan, which affected several parts of eastern UP, according to the Meteorological department.

A rain alert was issued for 50 districts of UP till May 6. "Cyclonic conditions over Rajasthan, western disturbance flowing in from Iran and mixing tendencies of easterly and westerly winds will bring rain to some parts of the Terai belt on Friday, followed by more parts of western UP," explained Mohd Danish, senior scientist with the IMD, Lucknow.

"This trend of rain will continue over isolated places in t...