Lightning strike sets dump yard on fire, trees uprooted during storm

Kolkata: A fire broke out on a dumping yard near Rishra railway station on Friday evening after lightening struck on the garbage piles. Five fire tenders were pressed into action. Local residents in the area were panic-stricken after they saw smoke emanating from the fire in the dump yard. Gusty winds accompanied by rainfall swept a major part of the city, including districts in South Bengal, on Friday.

The weather office at Alipore has predicted similar weather conditions in the afternoon and evening for the next two days. There are also chances of rain in parts of North Bengal as well.

"Two squalls, popularly known as Kalbaisakhi, were registered at Alipore — one at 7.35 pm and another at 7.54 pm — from westerly direction reached at 81 kilometres per hour with the highest gust 99 kilometres per hour (not a kalbaisakhi) at 7.55 pm. The two squalls lasted for a minute. The speed of the gusty wind was around 40-60 kilometres per hour on an average.

Reportedly, trees were uprooted at ten locations, including near Rowing Club on Boroj Road, National Library on Alipore Road, Southern Avenue, Prince Anwar Shah Road, Baroj Road, Fairlie Place, Kalighat Road and AJC Bose Road. This apart, a light post fell off on the Service Road near Science City.

Train services in various sections of Howrah Division were delayed from 7.10 to 8.10 pm for intermittent tripping of power due to heavy storm and rain.

Tripping of overhead power occurred at Kamarkundu, Belanagar, Janai Road and Dankuni stations of Howrah–Burdwan Chord Line section, Howrah-Bandel and Seoraphuli-Tarakeswar sections.

There were reports of a hailstorm in Purulia district. "There has been a cyclonic circulation over Bengal, Jharkhand and parts of Odisha. So, the wind that is blowing from Bay of Bengal is circulating here along with the water vapour, which is being carried from the sea. So thunderstorm activity is likely to lash Kolkata and all districts of South Bengal in the next two days," a senior official of Alipore weather office said.

There is prediction of thunderstorm in phases in the districts of South Bengal.