Lightning hits plane in Kolkata with 142 passengers on board:Bridge washed away in Darjeeling; 8 killed in Jharkhand thunderstorms

Heavy rain and strong winds continue to affect several parts of India. At Kolkata Airport on Friday, lightning struck IndiGo flight 6E6068 bound for Agartala while it was parked at the aerobridge. All 147 passengers were shifted to another flight. Two ground staff members sustained minor injuries but are safe. In West Bengal’s Darjeeling district, the Balason River overflowed after heavy rain, washing away a bridge made of hume pipes. Traffic on the Mirik–Siliguri road has been suspended due to the damage. Meanwhile, continuous rainfall in the hills of North Bengal triggered a landslide near Mahanadi, forcing the closure of a National Highway and the Siliguri–Kurseong road. In Himachal Pradesh’s Shimla, a landslide following heavy rain also disrupted vehicular movement. In Jharkhand, lightning strikes claimed the lives of eight people, including two women and a two-year-old child. Hazaribagh reported the highest toll with three deaths, while fatalities were also reported from Palamu, Lohardaga, Ramgarh, West Singhbhum and Godda districts. Water leaks from Navi Mumbai airport roof At Navi Mumbai International Airport, water leaking from the roof on Friday led to the temporary closure of baggage belts 5 and 6. Officials said the leak was contained within about 30 minutes, while cleaning and repair work was completed within an hour. Both baggage belts were subsequently restored to service. 5 pictures of destruction from storm and rain… ​