City and adjoining districts virtually heaved a sigh of relief after a spell of rain, accompanied with lightning and squall, hit the areas on Thursday afternoon. City witnessed wind speeds at 40 km per hour.

Lightning claimed five lives in three separate incidents in Murshidabad and East Burdwan districts on Thursday afternoon, according to the Met department. The entire city plunged into a dusk-like appearance around 4.30 pm as dark clouds masked the sky, prompting the Kolkata civic body to switch on the street lights.

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Buses, taxis and other vehicles were also seen plying on roads with their headlights on. As forecasted earlier by the Alipore Meteorological Department, several districts of West Bengal were drenched in heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms. According to reports, Kolkata, Howrah, South 24-Parganas, Birbhum and West Midnapore received substantial showers with squalls.

Bolpur and Suri experienced hail storms. Gusts of dust-filled winds blew throughout the city, sweeping the dry roads. With the showers commencing, pedestrians took refuge under shades and Metro stations.

Cloudy skies are expected in the city for the next seven days, with a chance of thunder and lightning, according to the regional Met office in Kolkata.

This week, the city is likely to have rain and thunderstorms. The wet southwesterly winds, which injects moisture into the land, is blowing in the city.

The existence of cyclonic circulation is expected to cause thunderstormin south Bengal. In various south Bengal districts, including East and West Midnapore, Jhargram and Purulia, the system is already pushing up cloud formation and bringing brief spells of rain