Two killed in lightning during nor'wester

Two persons were killed in lightning during a nor'wester in West Bengal's Burdwan district this evening.

District disaster management-in-charge Mrityunjoy Halder said the two died at Malamba and Gobindapur.

The high-velocity storm, which lasted for about 10 minutes, damaged around 30 houses and uprooted electric polls.

The paddy crop in the agriculture-rich district suffered a loss in the accompanying rain and hailstorm, Halder said.

With today's deaths, the toll in nor'westers, a phenomenon witnessed in Bengal just before summer sets in, has risen to six. Four persons died in another nor'wester on Monday.