One killed in Tripura squall

Strong winds accompanied by lightning and rains continued to lash Tripura, killing one person and injuring four others, an official said here Tuesday.

The seasonal squalls accompanied by rains, thunder-storms, lightning and hail-storms since Sunday night have destroyed more than 1,000 houses and disrupted power supply and telecommunication across the northeastern state, an official said.

A total of 112 mm rainfall was recorded in and around the capital city during the past 24 hours, he said.

"Parendra Debbarma, 55, a labourer from Khowai in western Tripura, died when his house wall collapsed and fell on him Monday night," said an official of the relief department.

Two policemen were injured at the police training academy at Narshingarh, near here, after lightning struck them. Two more people were critically injured in a wall collapse, he said.

Thousands of trees, telephone and electric poles were uprooted, badly affecting electricity supply,telecommunication services, and movement of vehicles, an official said.

The first incessant rains in the pre-monsoon period also caused waterlogging in the low-lying areas of Agartala and other parts of the state, an official said.