Seven dead due to lightning strikes

KOLKATA: At least seven people have died after being struck by lightning in separate incidents across the state on Friday. Many more have been injured.

Two tourists who were bathing in the sea in Digha on Friday afternoon were struck by lightning. They have been identified as Sugam Pal (24) and Subhojit Pal (25). Both were residents of North 24-Parganas. They were declared brought dead at a local hospital.

Four women, including a teenager, died in separate incidents of lightning in Purulia. Three other women have sustained injuries.

Lightning struck another woman, identified as Mongoli Murmu (62), when she was trying to board a bus at Tokria More under Burrabazar police station in the same district. Two more — Bharati Tudu (52) and Sundari Soren (55) have been injured and they are currently undergoing treatment at Sadar Hospital in Purulia.

Meanwhile, after two years, Kolkata registered a record deficit of rain at 59 per cent in June this year with fresh apprehensions among weather experts whether July is also going to face a rain deficit as well or not.

The Regional Meteorological Centre in Alipore has, however, hinted that the city may receive rainfall in July compared to that of June. Kolkata had recorded a rain deficit of around 68 per cent in 2019. Unlike South Bengal, that has registered an overall rain deficit of around 49 per cent, North Bengal received 50 per cent excess rainfall. The southwest monsoon entered South Bengal on June 18. South Bengal witnessed a delayed entry of monsoon this year as it normally enters the region on June 11. The south-west monsoon entered North Bengal and also north-eastern parts of the country on June 3. South Bengal districts are yet to receive heavy showers as the south west monsoon entered the area in a weak phase.

According to the MeT office data, Kolkata had received 42 per cent excess rainfall in June 2021 while North Bengal had witnessed 3 per cent deficit in June the same year. The state had an overall excess of rainfall of around 27 per cent in June last year.

South Bengal districts are yet to receive heavy showers.

As monsoon trough remained active in North Bengal, various districts in the north received heavy rain over the last fortnight. The MeT office said that there were no low-pressures or cyclonic circulations over the Bay in June which could trigger more rainfall. The weather office predicted that the city and other South Bengal districts may receive heavy spells of rainfall in the next two days as the monsoon trough is now sliding down. Several South Bengal districts, including the city, received light rainfall on Friday. The intensity of rainfall will be reduced in North Bengal districts in the next 24 hours.