2 killed as heavy rain lashes West Bengal

Two persons were killed in rain-related incidents in Bankura district of West Bengal as heavy rain continued to lash the state since Thursday, officials said on Friday.

The Met department forecast more downpour in the state owing to a low pressure area in south Odisha and West Central Bay of Bengal.

The weatherman, however, held out a ray of hope for good weather on Kali Puja and Diwali to be celebrated in the weekend, forecasting a clear sky from Saturday afternoon.

In Indpur block of Bankura district, an elderly man and a woman died because of drowning and wall collapse respectively on Thursday, District Magistrate Umashankar S said.

The Met department forecast heavy to very heavy rain in East and West Midnapore, South 24 Parganas districts of Gangetic West Bengal.

Heavy rain is likely at one or two places over districts of Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and in Howrah, North 24 Parganas, Murshidabad, Nadia, Birbhum, Hooghly and East Burdwan districts of Gangetic West Bengal, the weatherman said.

The seaside resort town of Digha on Bay of Bengal coast recorded the highest rainfall in the state in 24 hours till 8.30 am on Friday at 226 mm.

The East Midnapore district administration has advised the fishermen not to venture into the deep sea, district officials said.

The state capital Kolkata (41.4 mm) experienced continuous rain throughout the night and it continued in the morning.

Normal life was affected in the metropolis as incessant downpour forced people to remain indoors, while many schools declared a holiday owing to the weather conditions.

The other places that experienced heavy rain were Contai (116 mm), Diamond Harbour (69 mm), Asansol (63 mm), Bankura (63 mm) and Barrackpore (49 mm).