Thundersquall, hailstorms lash Kolkata adjoining districts, Met forecasts more till May 12

A thundersquall accompanied by hailstorms lashed Kolkata and adjoining districts of South and North 24 Parganas on Thursday afternoon. The presence of a cyclonic circulation over Bangladesh and its neighbourhood besides strong moisture incursion from the Bay of Bengal will cause thunderstorms with lightning and gusty wind over West Bengal till May 12, the Met department said.

A thundersquall hit Kolkata and adjoining South and North 24 Parganas district, accompanied by hailstorms in some places of the city, the Met said.

The districts in south Bengal, which suffered a long spell of heatwave with the highest temperature in Kolkata breaking a 50-year record at 43 degrees Celsius, got relief from the scorching heat from early this week with conditions becoming favourable for thunderstorms and rain in the region.