Assam: 8 killed in storm, lightning strike

Guwahati: At least eight persons, including three teenagers, were killed in lightning strikes and severe storms accompanied by heavy showers that lashed several districts of Assam since Thursday, officials said on Saturday.

Officials of Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said storms, rains and lightning lashed 12 districts during the last 48 hours affecting around 20,300 people in 592 villages.

Of the eight people killed, four died in Dibrugarh district, three in Barpeta, and one in Goalpara district.

The storm uprooted scores of trees, many electric poles, damaged 7,400 houses -- fully and partially, in Dibrugarh, Barpeta, Kamrup (Metro), Kamrup (Rural), Nalbari, Chirang, Darrang, Cachar, Golaghat, Karbi Anglong, Udalguri and Goalpara districts.

The India Meteorological Department has predicted that heavy rainfall and thundershowers are likely to continue at a few places over Assam and Meghalaya.