Two killed, 50 injured as thunderstorm lashes Assam

Guwahati, April 25 At least two people were killed and 50 injured in a devastating thunderstorm Saturday in Assam that flattened up to 1,000 homes, besides uprooting trees and electric and telephone poles, an official said.
The storm that swept at least eight districts of Assam lasted for about 45 minutes, leaving a trail of destruction with the state’s main city of Guwahati also badly hit.

One person was killed in Goalpara district, while another died in Darrang district in the thunderstorm, accompanied by heavy rain, late Saturday, a state government official said.

The worst hit districts are Kamrup (Rural), Kamrup (Metro), Goalpara, Darrang, Chirang, Baksa, Nalbari, and Barpeta.

A government spokesperson said up to 1,000 homes were damaged, besides severe disruption in road communication in several parts of the state with uprooted trees and electric poles blocking highways and other roads.

“In all about 50 people were injured in the devastating thunderstorm,” the official said.

In Guwahati, at least 20 people were injured with trees falling on moving vehicles, with flying tin roofs in several areas wounding panic stricken pedestrians who were caught unawares by the sudden thunderstorm.

This is the second massive thunderstorm to have hit Assam. On April 16, a cyclonic storm damaged up to 300 homes in several parts of the state.

The Meterological Department has predicted more rain and thunderstorms over most parts of Assam during the next 48 hours to Monday evening.