Nine killed as thunderstorm hits West Bengal

At least nine persons were killed when a thunderstorm hit several districts of West Bengal on Saturday.

In Murshidabad, four farmers who were busy working in the field at separate places were killed by lightning, officials said.

Similarly in South 24 Parganas district, Rita Mandal, 70, and Sanath Mistri, 65, were struck by lightning when they were working outside their houses in Gosaba block.

Besides Gosaba, Canning and Basanti blocks were badly affected by hailstorm as several roads got blocked due to felling of trees. Kuccha houses and crops were also left damaged in some parts of the state, sources said.

In North 24 Parganas district's Barasat also a 30-year-old man was killed due to lightning.

While in Malda district, a woman died in lightning strike in Englishbazar last night and a man was killed after being hit by a hailstone during the storm at Chanchol, officials said.

Yesterday, the hills of Darjeeling had experienced unseasonal snowfall and hailstorm while heavy rains lashed the metropolis and adjoining districts leaving five persons dead.