At least 42 people have been killed by lightning and fierce storms in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, an official said Sunday.

High speed winds and torrential rain lashed several districts of the state since Friday, uprooting trees, destroying houses and bringing down power cables.

"We have been informed that 42 people have been killed and 50 are injured," government spokesman Diwakar Tripathi told AFP.

Most of those killed were either homeless or poor people living in shanty town housing, he said.

Four children were killed in Lakhimpur district as houses collapsed during violent summer storms, while three members of a family were killed by a falling electricity cable.

The state government ordered payments of 100,000 rupees (2,200 dollars) to family members of those who have died.