Lightning, storm kill 8 in Assam

Guwahati: At least eight persons, including two minors, were killed in separate incidents of lightning strikes as a severe storm accompanied by heavy rains swept Assam, an official bulletin said on Saturday.

According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), the 'Bordoisila', as such summer storms and rains are called, lashed several parts of Assam since Thursday.

In addition to the human casualty, it left behind a trail of destruction, including damaged houses, uprooted trees and snapped electric lines.

The ASDMA bulletin, which was updated till 8 pm on April 15, said that four persons were killed in Dibrugarh on Friday due to the massive storm. The deceased have been identified and included a 12-year-old.

Three more persons lost their lives to the storm in Barpeta district on Thursday and a 15-year old boy died in lightning in Goalpara district, ASDMA said.

The storm uprooted scores of trees and dozens of electric poles, damaged many houses at various places in the past few days, ASDMA said in the bulletin.

At least 7,378 houses and other establishments have been damaged in the state during the last two days, it added.