Four people were killed in a lightning strike as thunderstorms and heavy rain battered large parts of Bengal on Tuesday, uprooting trees and causing waterlogging that disrupted normal life.
The deaths occurred around 7.30 pm in Murshidabad district's Dhulian when lightning struck a boat ferrying passengers across the Ganga to Parlalpur in Malda district, officials said.
Four people died while at least 15 others were injured, they said, adding that the boatman returned to Dhulian immediately after the tragedy.
A thunderstorm hit several districts in the afternoon, while dark clouds over Kolkata gave way to rain around 2 pm. The downpour brought relief from humid conditions but caused widespread traffic disruptions across the metropolis.
Several parts of Kolkata reported waterlogging, while strong winds uprooted trees at key locations, leading to traffic congestion on several roads.
At Esplanade in central Kolkata, fallen trees blocked roads and disrupted vehicular movement for hours. Trees also got uprooted, snapping overhead power lines at several places.
In the Moulali area of the metropolis, a tree fell on a car after snapping electric wires, blocking one side of the road and causing long traffic snarls during peak evening hours.
The inclement weather came at the closing hours of schools and colleges, leaving many students and their guardians stranded in rain-soaked streets.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said thunderstorms and rain also affected Howrah, Hooghly, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Nadia and Purulia districts.
The weather office issued an orange alert for Kolkata, Howrah, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Hooghly and parts of Nadia district for three hours from 2 pm, forecasting moderate to heavy rainfall accompanied by strong winds gusting up to 50 km per hour.
Heavy rainfall was forecast for Kolkata, Howrah and South 24 Parganas, while moderate rainfall was expected in the remaining districts under the alert zone, it said.
The IMD also issued an orange warning for Purulia, Bankura, Purba Bardhaman, Paschim Bardhaman, Birbhum, Murshidabad and Nadia districts for the day.
Officials said rain and thunderstorm activity were reported from most districts of South Bengal during the day, with lightning strikes recorded at several places.