Atleast 4 dead & 13 injured in separate incidents of lightning strikes in state

Kolkata: Four died and thirteen others injured after they were struck by lightning in three separate incidents across the state on Sunday.

Two women from Malda's Chanchal - Joya Mondal and Seema Mondal died after being struck by lightning. Five others were injured. All of them were working in the field when the incident took place. They were immediately taken to a nearby health center where the two women succumbed to their injuries. The injured persons were later shifted to the Malda Medical College and Hospital. According to local sources all if them are in serious condition. A woman also died in Jhargram while six others sustained critical injuries. The deceased has been identified as Rubi Nayek aged around 34. All of them were taken to Gopiballavpur Super-specialty Hospital where the woman died.

In another incident, a 41-year-old wage labourer identified as Unnoto Kebir from Khargram police station area in Murshidabad's Kandi died while two of his associates suffered critical injuries on Sunday afternoon when lightning struck them.

The incident occurred when all the three persons were sowing seeds in the field. Kebir died at the spot while the two were taken to a nearby hospital. Their health condition is stated to be serious. Several parts of South Bengal districts received moderate rainfall on Sunday evening accompanied with a gust. Various parts of North Bengal and also some parts of South Bengal witnessed thundershower and lightning. Rains did not last for two long.

Meanwhile, the Regional Meteorological Centre at Alipore has forecast a heavy rainfall in North Bengal districts for the next three days while South Bengal will receive light to moderate rainfall. An alert has been issued by the MeT office for North Bengal. According to the weather office, a monsoon trough is moving towards Himalayan foothills which will bring heavy rainfall in the region. Sikkim will also receive heavy rainfall, as predicted by the MeT office.

"The districts like Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, Alipurduar and Kalimpong will witness a heavy to very heavy rainfall in the next 24 hours. Many districts in North Bengal received rainfall on Sunday. It will further intensify in the next 24 hours. It may rain heavily in North and South Dinajpur, Jalpaiguri and Kalimpong on Tuesday as well. it may continue raining in North Bengal till Wednesday," a weather official said.

City and other parts of South Bengal remained partially cloudy on Sunday. There may be spells of rain and thunder showers in some parts of South Bengal. The temperature in South Bengal may hover between 28-35 degree Celsius. A high humidity level may cause discomfort to the people in the city and other South Bengal districts. The lowest temperature in the city recorded at around 28 degree Celsius and the highest temperature around 35.