One killed, 16 injured as lightning strikes near Kolkata's Victoria Memorial

One person was killed and 16 people were injured after a lightning strike in front of historic Victoria Memorial in Kolkata on Friday. 

The lightning struck in front of the south gate of the landmark structure around 3.35 pm.

Injured people were taken to nearby state-run SSKM Hospital.

Kolkata has been hit by heavy rainfall on Friday with flight operations as Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport also being affected. 

The Indian Meterological Department had earlier predicted "moderate thunderstorm with lightning and light to moderate rainfall" in several districts of West Bengal including Kolkata. 

"Moderate thunderstorm with lightning and light to moderate rainfall very likely affect some parts of North and South 24 Parganas, East Midnapore, Murshidabad, Kolkata and Hooghly districts from during next 1-2 hours from 15:15 hours," a weather bulletin issued by Regional Meteorological Centre, Kolkata said. 

The IMD forecast said that heavy rainfall is likely over the districts of North Bengal on Friday and Saturday. 

"Due to passing of Monsoon Trough at mean sea level through Sriniketan and thence east-northeastwards to Nagaland across Bangladesh & south Assam and strong incursion of moisture heavy rainfall is likely over the districts of North Bengal during next 48 hours(16 & 17th August 2019)," it said.