Nor’wester claims 8 lives, leaves 14 injured

Kolkata: Eight persons were killed and 14 injured in a nor’wester that hit a number of south Bengal districts on Saturday.
Lightning claimed seven lives in East and West Burdwan districts. Four were killed at Mongolkot, Galsi, Ausgram and Purbasthali in East Burdwan, while the toll was three in West Burdwan district — one in Jamuria and two in Salanpur.
Another person was killed when an uprooted tree fell on him at Para in Purulia district, while ten were injured, official sources from the three districts said. The other districts to be hit by the nor’wester were Birbhum, Bankura, Murshidabad, Nadia, Howrah, Hooghly and Kolkata.
Officials said a large number of trees were either uprooted or had their branches broken as a squall accompanied by thundershower hit the districts. Train services of both Eastern and South Eastern Railways were badly hit with a number of trains delayed, inconveniencing commuters.
Airport sources said flights were also affected in the thunderstorm on Saturday evening. (PTI)