'Children's prayers saved my life': Bareilly storm survivor, flung along with tin shed, recalls horror
Bareilly, May 14
Terrifying visuals of a storm-linked incident in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly district have gone viral, showing a man flung nearly 50 feet into the air along with a tin shed during strong winds and heavy rain.
Nanhe Ansari, who sustained serious injuries in the incident, has now recounted the horrifying moments, saying he survived only because of the prayers of his children.
The incident took place in Bamiyana village under the Bhamora police station area when a severe thunderstorm lashed the district on Wednesday evening, uprooting structures and causing panic among residents.
Ansari suffered fractures in his hands and legs after being flung through the air and crashing to the ground. He is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital.
Recounting the terrifying ordeal, Ansari told IANS he had initially taken shelter beneath a tin shed in a marriage hall after the weather suddenly worsened.
"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," he said.
He added that within moments, the storm intensified violently.
"Meanwhile, a very strong storm hit. 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," Ansari said.
Describing the impact, he said he had no idea where he landed after being swept away by the wind.
"It was around 50 feet high. I don't know where I fell. I was at least 80 feet away," he said.
Ansari believes his survival was nothing short of a miracle.
"I survived because of my children's prayers; otherwise, there was no hope of survival," he added emotionally.
Shocking visuals of the incident have surfaced online, showing the powerful winds uprooting the tin shed as Ansari was carried into the air along with it.
The incident came amid widespread destruction caused by thunderstorms, heavy rain, and lightning across several districts of Uttar Pradesh.
According to officials, dozens of people have lost their lives in storm-related incidents across the state, while many others have been injured.
— IANS
Reader Comments
When children pray, God listens 💪. So glad he survived. But why are these tin sheds still so common in rural areas during storms? The government should provide proper shelters. This could have been prevented.
Incredible survival story. 50 feet up and 80 feet away—that's like being thrown by a giant! Nanhe ji is lucky to have such devoted children. The power of faith cannot be underestimated. But I hope the authorities take note and warn people better before such storms.
As someone who's seen tornado warnings in the US, this is heart-wrenching. The lack of early warning systems and safe shelters in rural India is alarming. Happy Nanhe survived, but we need systemic changes, not just prayers.
This video was so scary to watch. The other men who stayed down survived because they didn't hold the tin sheet—but Nanhe ji was trying to hold it and got carried away. A lesson for all of us. And his kids must be the real heroes 🤗
Prayers saved him? Maybe. But what about the dozens who died? This is a wake-up call. The local administration should have issued warnings. We always wait for tragedy to strike before acting. It's time for preventive measures.
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