Siliguri, April 10 -- A wave of Nor'westers has battered the districts of North Bengal leaving one dead. The weather office has issued an 'Orange' thunderstorm alert for the next three days.

In a tragic incident, a BSF jawan lost his life due to a lightning strike near the Indo-Bangladesh border in Phansidewa in the wee hours of Thursday. The deceased, identified as Deepak Kumar from Bihar, was on patrol duty at Gate No. 23 near Bandar Gachh village when the lightning struck. He was rushed to Phansidewa Rural Hospital, where he was declared dead.

A large tree was uprooted on Panighata Road State Highway between Bagdogra and Bengdubi in Siliguri causing traffic disruptions on Thursday. Forest officials later cleared the obstruction to restore normalcy. "We have issued specific warnings to ensure public awareness. People should remain cautious, as the thunderstorms and rainfall are expected to persist over the next few days," said Gopinath Raha from the Meteorological Department, while talking to Millennium Post. Residents are advised to take necessary precautions and stay updated with official weather bulletins, he stated.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an 'Orange' alert for the next three days across all eight districts. The IMD has also forecasted continuous light to moderate rainfall and thundershowers in the region till April 17.

Thunderstorms accompanied by gusty winds (ranging between 40-50 kmph) and lightning are expected to impact the region on April 11 in Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Kalimpong, Alipurduar, Cooch Behar. Rainfall between 7-11 cm is likely in Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and North Dinajpur during this period.

North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur and Malda are likely to experience higher wind speeds, up to 60 kmph, along with intense lightning activity. On April 12, similar weather conditions are predicted across all districts, with Jalpaiguri expecting heavy rainfall.

By April 13, the severity of the thunderstorms is expected to reduce slightly. Most districts will see wind speeds of 30-40 kmph, though North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur and Malda may still witness stronger gusts of up to 50 kmph. There is heavy rainfall forecast for Darjeeling and Cooch Behar.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.