10 dead, seven inured in Bengal storm

A storm lashed through the city and south West Bengal districts on Saturday, claiming 10 lives and leaving seven others injured, besides affecting flight and train movement, police said.

"Ten persons have died after they were struck by lightning, or due to wall collapse or buried under uprooted trees. Seven others were injured," an officer manning the state police control room told IANS over phone.

In the city, the seasonal storm - called 'norwester' - struck with a wind speed of 50-60 km per hour, bringing down the oppressive mercury level and providing comfort from the energy sapping humidity.

But it also wrecked havoc, felling trees, and disrupting flight movement. Sources in South Eastern Railway and Eastern Railway said commuters were inconvenienced as train speed had to be slowed down due to the heavy winds.

Five persons were injured when a canopy of a marriage venue gave way at Narkeldanga in east Kolkata. Two others sustained injuries when a branch of a tree fell over them in Laketown in the city's north eastern fringes.

The norwester triggered rain in various southern districts - East Bardhaman, West Bardhaman, Purulia, Birbhum, Howrah, Hooghly, North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas.

Lighting claimed four lives in Galsi, Ousgram, Purbosthali and Mangalkote of East Bardhaman districts, and three in Jamuria and Salanpur of West Bardhaman districts. Two more died in Pandua of Hooghly district.

A pedestrian died after a tree got uprooted and fell on him in Purulia town.

--IANS

ssp/vd