Three killed by lightning in Assam

Three persons, including a blind couple, were killed by lightning in separate incidents in Assam s Sonitpur district today as the flood situation in the district turned grim. Incessant rains fed the rivers, leading to alarming rise in water levels in Sonitpur and neighbouring districts. The blind couple, Madan Topno and his wife Phulmoni, were struck by lightning in Bindukuri area, leading to their deaths. Another person, Bhuju Kurmi, was also killed by lightening in the same area. Spiraling waters of the Jia Bhoroli, Jorakhor and other rivers have inundated several areas in Sonitpur. Flood waters have also reportedly entered parts of the airport in the district headquarters town of Tezpur. Though the runway is safe as of now, if waters continue to rise, the possibility of flood waters entering the runway has not been ruled out. Flood waters have also entered a training camp of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) in Tezpur. In Golaghat district, several areas have been inundated as rivers in the district are being fed with water gushing from higher reaches in bordering Nagaland, which has witnessed heavy rains.