Monsoon returns to city, lightning kills five in Nadia & Bankura

Kolkata: The city on Sunday witnessed light to moderate rain as the monsoon current has gained strength after remaining stalled for the past two weeks, due to the impact of the westerly winds.

As many as five persons were reportedly killed after being struck by lightning at Nadia and Bankura in different incidents. It has been learnt that 3 persons were killed at Hanskhali area of Nadia, while the other two victims are from Bankura.

The monsoon current may further be intensified in South Bengal in the next 48 hours. Apart from the city, the South Bengal districts which will receive maximum rainfall are North 24-Parganas, South 24-Parganas, Bankura, West and East Midnapore, Jhargram and Birbhum.

With the monsoon finally coming back in the city and other parts of Bengal after its official arrival around two weeks ago, there is a cause of concern for North Bengal districts as the Regional Meteorological Centre at Alipore has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in the region.

According to the weather office, a warning has been issued to the sub-Himalayan districts in North Bengal, as heavy rain is likely to lash the districts in the next two days. This comes at a time when Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar districts have already received up to 250 mm rainfall in the past few days. Prediction of some more rains posing a threat to the road and rail communication in the region has also been made. People living in the river banks and low lying areas have already been cautioned by the district administration.

While North Bengal is expected to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall, the weather in Kolkata and most parts of South Bengal will remain pleasant.

However, there is a prediction of thunderstorm accompanied with gusty wind and lightning in the South Bengal districts in the next two days.

The day in Kolkata and adjoining districts started with an overcast sky on Sunday morning. The city later witnessed a downpour, resulting in the decrease of temperature. People have got rid of a high level of humidity that made people sweat in the past few days. The weather on Sunday turned cool as the day progressed.

The Met office in the city predicted that the sky in Kolkata and some of the South Bengal districts will remain cloudy in the later part of next week, with intermittent lightning and thundershower to strike in some parts.

The districts like North 24-Parganas, South 24-Parganas, Nadia, Murshidabad and Howrah received light to moderate rainfall, which has brought down the temperature by a few notches.

According to a weather expert, a fast-improving progress of monsoon circulation is likely to cause more rains all over Bengal in the next week. An alert has been issued to fishermen, as a wind is expected to blow over Bay of Bengal at 35-40 km per hour.