Seven people died in rain-related incidents across six districts of West Bengal on Friday after an intense spell of thunderstorms accompanied by heavy rain swept across Kolkata and several south Bengal districts, officials said.

The state government will provide compensation of Rs 4 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased, chief minister Suvendu Adhikari announced.

"Seven deaths were reported due to weather-induced damage, including house collapse, electrocution, and lightning," Adhikari said at the state secretariat, adding that the fatalities were reported from South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly, Paschim Medinipore and Purulia.

While the rainfall brought relief from the scorching heat prevailing in the region over the past few days, it also caused widespread disruption to normal life.

Services at Kolkata airport were affected, with arrivals and departures suspended for over an hour amid reports of waterlogging on airstrips.

Train services on the Bongaon section of the Sealdah south suburban route were also disrupted after uprooted trees fell on overhead wires and railway tracks, officials said.

Strong winds uprooted trees across Kolkata and adjoining Salt Lake, disrupting traffic and damaging property in several areas. Collapsed branches were reported to have crushed parked vehicles, while KMC sources said around 36 trees were uprooted in and around the city.

Officials also reported that a two-wheeler rider working for an app-based delivery service was injured in a lightning strike in Salt Lake and taken to hospital.

Personnel from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and the state disaster management department were deployed with tree cutters and bulldozers to clear roads, while reports of waterlogging emerged from several parts of the city.

The chief minister announced that a committee comprising officials from the forest, environment and KMC departments would be formed to examine ways to protect large trees in the city, which are frequently uprooted during severe weather. The panel will consult environmental experts, he added.

Adhikari also noted that traffic congestion in Kolkata and adjoining Howrah and Bidhannagar remained under control, adding that Municipal Affairs Minister Agnimitra Paul was monitoring the situation.

Dark clouds had gathered over Kolkata and adjoining areas since morning before heavy rain and strong winds, reaching 50-60 kmph and gusting beyond 80 kmph at times, battered the city. Similar conditions were reported from neighbouring Howrah and Hooghly districts.

The storm reduced visibility sharply in some areas, forcing motorists to switch on headlights during the afternoon.

Portions of the overhead shades at the Sahid Khudiram Metro station in south Kolkata were blown away by the winds, causing rainwater to gush onto the platform and disrupting services on the Blue Line.

The IMD’s Regional Meteorological Centre in Alipore said thunderstorm activity is likely to continue across south Bengal over the next two days due to favourable wind patterns and strong moisture incursion from the Bay of Bengal.

According to the IMD, a trough extending from a cyclonic circulation over central Pakistan to interior Odisha, along with an upper-air cyclonic circulation over north interior Odisha, has created favourable conditions for widespread thunderstorm activity.

The weather office forecast thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds of 60-70 kmph at isolated places in Bankura, Purba Bardhaman, Paschim Bardhaman, Jhargram, Purulia, Birbhum and Paschim Medinipur districts.

For the remaining south Bengal districts, thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds of 50-60 kmph are likely at isolated places, it said.

Light to moderate rain or thundershowers are expected across most districts of south Bengal during the period.

The IMD also cautioned fishermen against venturing into the sea along and off the West Bengal and north Odisha coasts, warning that squally winds of 40-50 kmph, gusting up to 60 kmph, are likely to prevail till Friday.