NEW DELHI: People turned off the lights of their houses and lighted earthen lamps across the country on Sunday night, responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's '9 pm, 9 min' appeal to defeat the coronavirus in the country.

Modi had requested everyone to switch off all lights of their houses today at '9 pm for 9 minutes' and just light candles or 'diyas' to mark the fight against coronavirus, which has claimed 83 lives in the country so far.

In Chennai, people formed the map of India by lighting earthen lamps, while in Lucknow, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath lit earthen lamps to form an 'Om' at his residence.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao lit up a candle. Several Union Ministers and politicians too participated in the exercise.

In West Bengal, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar turned off all the lights of his residence and lit earthen lamps.

This comes days after the people had come out in their balconies and clapped and clanged utensils to express their gratitude to medical professionals- who are at the forefront of the country's fight against the coronavirus.

Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus cases in the country continues to surge. As per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases is 3577 with 83 deaths.