Lightning kills four in Bengal, heavy rains hit life

Four people died when they were struck by lightning even as normal life was thrown haywire following a sudden spate of heavy rains that uprooted trees and lamp posts in Kolkata and adjoining areas of West Bengal Monday, officials said.

Three students died after being struck by lightning at Deganga in neighbouring North 24 Parganas district, control room sources said. Another succumbed at Durgapur Math, said an officer manning the city police control room.

A student was injured after a tree fell in Jadavpur University's Salt Lake campus.

The city recorded 19.5 mm rainfall in the afternoon which led to many lampposts and trees getting uprooted, blocking some throughfares. Water-logging was reported in a few areas.

Policemen were seen supervising disposal of uprooted trees in major arterial stretches like E.M. Bypass, Ultadanga flyover and in roads in the satellite township of Salt Lake.

According to a senior weather official, there is a "strong possibility" of thunder showers Tuesday due to a depression over the Bay of Bengal.

"A low pressure area is forming over the Bay of Bengal and majority of districts of the state will receive heavy rainfall tomorrow (Tuesday)," an official of the Alipore Met department said.