A severe thunderstorm that tore through Bareilly district in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday evening carried a man nearly 50 feet into the air along with a tin shed, in a terrifying incident that has since gone viral. Nanhe Ansari, who sustained fractures in his hands and legs after crashing to the ground, says he owes his survival entirely to his children's prayers.

What Happened in Bamiyana Village

The incident occurred in Bamiyana village under the Bhamora police station area when a violent thunderstorm struck the district. Ansari had initially taken shelter beneath a tin shed at a marriage hall after noticing the weather deteriorate rapidly. He had been travelling in his e-rickshaw when the storm intensified.

'When the storm and strong winds started, I was in my e-rickshaw. Seeing the weather worsen, I went under a tin shed. Apart from me, there were four other people there. They were tying the shed to a beam with ropes. I was holding onto the tin sheet,' Ansari recounted.

The Moment the Storm Took Him

Within moments, the storm reached a violent peak. As the rope holding the shed snapped, the four others managed to stay low — but Ansari, gripping the tin sheet, was carried airborne along with it.

'While the others stayed down when the rope snapped, the tin sheet I was holding carried me away with it. From a height of nearly 50 feet, it threw me around 80 feet away,' he said. Ansari recalled having no awareness of where he landed after being swept through the air.

Injuries and Recovery

Ansari suffered fractures in both his hands and legs from the impact. He is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital. Shocking visuals of the incident, showing the tin shed being ripped away with Ansari clinging to it, have circulated widely online.

'I survived because of my children's prayers; otherwise, there was no hope of survival,' he said, visibly emotional while recounting the ordeal.

Broader Destruction Across Uttar Pradesh

The Bareilly incident was part of a wider trail of destruction caused by thunderstorms, heavy rain, and lightning across multiple districts of Uttar Pradesh on the same evening. According to officials, dozens of people have lost their lives in storm-related incidents across the state, with many more injured. Structures were uprooted and widespread panic reported among residents in affected areas.

This comes amid a pattern of intense pre-monsoon storm activity across north India, with Uttar Pradesh among the states most frequently affected by sudden squalls during May. As Ansari continues his recovery, authorities are assessing the full scale of damage across the district.