Seven killed as storms, heavy rain lash Kolkata and South Bengal

Seven people died in rain-related incidents across six districts of West Bengal on Friday afternoon, after an intense spell of thunderstorms accompanied by heavy rain swept across Kolkata and several districts of south Bengal, officials said. The state government would provide a compensation of Rs 4 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said. "Seven deaths were reported due to weather-induced damage, including house collapse, electrocution, and lightning," Adhilkari said at the state secretariat, adding that the deaths were reported from South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly, Paschim Medinipore, and Purulia.Adhikari said the state government would bear the full medical expenses of those injured and provide additional financial assistance where needed. He added that the Minister for Municipal and Urban Development, Agnimitra Pal, is monitoring the situation and rescue operations.

#WATCH | Howrah: West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari says, "Seven people lost their lives in storm-related incidents across Kolkata, while several others sustained injuries due to large trees falling in various parts of the city. Deaths were reported due to house collapse,… pic.twitter.com/7wkJDmspgy

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According to official sources, the deaths were caused by electrocution, lightning strikes, and building collapses. One person was found dead near the railway tracks close to Prinsep Ghat, where police suspect he may have been hit by a falling tree branch during the storm. Bodies have been recovered and sent for post-mortem examination.
The storm swept through Kolkata in the afternoon with dark clouds, strong winds, intense lightning and torrential rain. Trees were uprooted in several areas that crushed vehicles and blocked major roads. Waterlogging was reported across north, central and south Kolkata, which affected traffic movement. Areas including Harish Mukherjee Road, Alipore, C.R. Avenue and the Thanthania Kalibari locality witnessed heavy flooding, with water levels rising up to knee height in some places. Many vehicles broke down, while pedestrians were forced to walk through flooded roads.
Public transport across Kolkata and adjoining areas was severely affected. Services on the Kolkata Metro Blue Line were partially suspended for around 20 minutes after a tree branch fell on the tracks. Train movement in the Sealdah division was hit in several sections including Madhyamgram, Bongaon, Kalyani, and Canning after trees and branches fell on overhead wires and tracks. Flight operations at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport were suspended for nearly an hour due to poor weather and water accumulation on the runway. Airport operations resumed later after conditions improved. The India Meteorological Department recorded wind speeds of 88 kmph in Kolkata between 2:45 pm and 2:47 pm, while Dum Dum recorded gusts of 74 kmph.