Lightning strike kills 1 in Cachar; Silchar hit by waterlogging

Silchar: Rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds over the past two days disrupted normal life across the three districts of Barak Valley — Cachar, Sribhumi and Hailakandi — leaving a trail of damage, uprooted trees and snapped power lines.A 44-year-old woman was killed on Sunday after being struck by lightning in Cachar district amid the sudden spell of stormy weather. Police identified the victim as Pushpa Rani Goala of Badri Basti in the Banskandi area under Lakhipur police station.Meanwhile, strong winds and heavy rain damaged houses in several parts of the valley, while trees were uprooted and electricity lines snapped in many areas.The rain also exposed Silchar town’s fragile drainage system, with several areas experiencing artificial flooding even after moderate rainfall. Residents complained that waterlogging paralysed movement in many localities.