5 die in lightning strikes

Kolkata: Five persons were killed after they were struck by lightning in Jhargram in three separate incidents. It took place on Monday afternoon when a heavy shower lashed various parts of South Bengal

districts.

According to local sources, two women from Sakrail and two men from Jambani block died in the incident. In the third incident a man from Gopiballavpur also died after being struck by lightning. According to the district police, all the victims were working in the field when the accident occurred.

They were rushed to nearby health centers where all the five victims were pronounced dead. The deceased have been identified as Jatan Kalindi (52), Sundari Kalinidi (28), Seikh Moktar (45), Nepal Murmu (50) and Khidil Mahapatra (48). Some others reportedly received injuries in the incident.

It may be mentioned here that four died and thirteen others injured across the state on Sunday after they were struck by lightning in three separate incidents. Two women from Malda's Chanchal, one woman from Jhargram were among the victims cloudy in the afternoon. Some of Western districts like Jhargram, West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia witnessed thunderstorms.

Various parts of the city and South Bengal districts received a moderate to heavy shower on Monday afternoon. Though, it did not last for long. The sky became cloudy in the

afternoon.

The Regional Meteorological Centre had already predicted rainfall in South Bengal and a heavy shower was the forecast for the North Bengal districts. An alert has been issued by the MeT office for North Bengal. A monsoon trough moved towards Himalayan foothills which will bring rainfall in the region in the next 24 hours. Various districts in North Bengal have received heavy rainfall in the past 24 hours.