Over 60 dead due to lightning strike in West Bengal since May

Over 60 people have lost their lives in lightning strike in different districts of West Bengal since May, a senior official of the state disaster management department said today.

Dhirendra Roy (72) of Dahala gram panchayat in Khatra block became the latest casualty, when lightning struck him last night, he said.

"Since May till June 25, we have reports of 66 people dying because of lightning in different West Bengal districts," the official told PTI.

With the MeT office forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall in the northern districts of the state, the department has asked its officers posted in those areas to be on alert, he said.

The PWD and the irrigation department have also been asked to be on guard.

The weather office has forecast rainfall in a few districts of south Bengal, too, including both North and South 24 Parganas, a senior official of the Met department said.

"Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely in Darjeeling, Coochbehar, Aliporeduar, Kalimpong and Uttar Dinajpur in the next 24 hours. We have alerted the districts," he said.

During the last 24 hours, the metropolis received a record 162.2 mm of rainfall.

"It's the highest rainfall that the city has received in the month of June in the last 10 years. The southern part of Kolkata has received more rainfall compared to its northern part," he said.

Darjeeling recorded the maximum of 169.5 mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours, while Midnapore received 31.4 mm, Malda 18.2 mm, Krishnanagar 22.6 mm and Purulia 21.0 mm.