NEW DELHI, May 10 (Xinhua) -- At least 12 people have died in thunderstorm in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh in the past 24 hours, officials said Thursday.

"While four people died in Etawah district, three were killed in Mathura, two in Firozabad, and one each in Agra, Aligarh and Kanpur districts. While some people died after lightning struck them, some were killed as trees, power poles fell on them," a disaster management official said.

"Officials are assessing the damage in these districts," he added.

India had earlier this week put as many as 13 of its states, including Uttar Pradesh, and two central government-territories on high storm alert for 48 hours.

Last week, more than 125 people died and over 300 others were injured in fierce dust storms in northern and western India. The storms also brought down electricity poles, uprooted trees, destroyed houses and killed livestock in five states, including Uttar Pradesh.