At least three people were killed, many trees were uprooted and suburban train services were affected as nor'wester hit several southern districts of West Bengal, officials said.
A 12-year-old girl was killed after she came in contact with a dangling live wire that got torn during the squall on Monday evening in the Botanical Garden area in Howrah city, police said.
A 65-year-old man was killed when his kutcha house collapsed during a thunderstorm in Amsha village in Uluberia police station area in Howrah district, a senior police officer said.
Another 40-year-old woman was killed in Urfuli village in Bagnan police station area in the same district when a tree fell on her during the storm, he said.
The Met department said the squall, recorded at its Alipore observatory in Kolkata, lasted for three minutes from 5.41 pm and had a maximum wind gust of 84 kmph.
Besides Kolkata, the nor'wester hit other south Bengal districts including Purulia, Bankura, Birbhum, Purba and Paschim Medinipur, Purba and Paschim Bardhaman, Howrah, Nadia and South and North 24 Parganas, the weatherman said.
Published 16 May 2023, 06:12 IST