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Bengal

Lightning strikes kill 13, leave 20 others injured

Kolkata: As many as 13 people were killed and 20 others injured in lightning strikes in various parts of the state on Monday morning.
A nor'wester lashed different districts, accompanied by lightning, resulting in death of the victims, who were mostly farmers. They were working in the fields when the accident occurred.
Among the deceased, three persons were from Murshidabad, Nadia and North 24-Parganas each, while four others were from Dakshin Dinajpur and Malda, two each from each district.
According to a senior official of the disaster management department, most of the victims were out on streets or fields, when they were struck by lightning. It has been learnt that among the injured, four persons from Purulia are stated to be in critical condition.
In view of the warnings issued by the weather office, the district administrations have alerted all the blocks, asking them to take precautionary measures so that such incidents can be averted. The villagers in various blocks have been asked not to work out on the field during a thundershower.
Several parts of South Bengal districts remained overcast from the early Monday morning. There was heavy downpour in the districts of Birbhum, Bankura, East and West Burdwan, Jhargram and Midnapore. The city and its adjoining areas in North and South Bengal also received rainfall on Monday morning. No damage or casualty has however been reported from the city.
According to the weather office, a wind measuring around 60 km/h hit various districts, along with the rain bringing down the temperature by a few notches. People from the city have also breathed a sigh of relief, after respite from the sultry and uncomfortable weather.
The commuters in the city and suburban areas also faced difficulties in reaching their destinations due to rain accompanied by storm. The regional meteorological centre at Alipore has predicted thundershower in the South Bengal districts in the next 48 hours.
Heavy rain and storm have affected train services in various sections of Howrah and Sealdah divisions of Eastern Railway on Monday morning. Many of the local trains were delayed due to safety precautions.
Train services on the Krishnanagar-Lalgola section were affected since 9.33 am, as some debris fell on the overhead wire at Bethuadahari. As a result of the incident, 13113 UP Kolkata-lalgola Hazarduari Express was detained near Bethuadahari. A tower van was pressed into action for the restoration of train services in the section.
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