377 Lightning Strikes Kolkata Was Witness To in 2 Hours!

A meteorological fury, an ominous and sudden cloudburst that Kolkata bore witness to on Thursday noon, sent the citizens to the edges while meteorologists scrambled to issue urgent warnings.

A relentless barrage of 377 lightning thunders within a span of barely two hours, several of them piercing through the heart of the ink-black clouds, accompanied by howling winds and torrential rain, left the citizens awestruck and gaping with horrid wonder.

The firmament was so violent and ruthless that the city and its neighbourhood hadn't witnessed such fury in a very long time.

Meteorologists have attributed this spectacular, jaw-dropping electrical storm yesterday (25.06.2026) to the rapid formation of cumulonimbus — towering, charge-laden thunderclouds.

The Alipore Meteorological Department confirmed that a low-pressure trough, stretching from Jharkhand across the Gangetic plains of West Bengal and Odisha, set the perfect stage for this marauding meteorological drama across southern Bengal.

This never-ending barrage of lightning strikes recorded in just two hours in the weather department's lightning detectors was enough to tumble previous records. And the sheer scale of the numbers sent a ripple of anxiety through the public as well as weather experts.

In the heart of the afternoon, an eerie twilight descended upon Kolkata and its suburbs without warning. The sky was swallowed by a thickening mass of dark clouds, followed swiftly by howling winds, torrential rain, and a non-stop pounding of lightning strikes.

A yellow alert remains in effect through Monday for several districts in South Bengal, with forecasts of scattered thunderstorms and gusty winds clocking between 30 to 40 kilometres per hour.

Experts have urged citizens to seek safe shelter and avoid open spaces during lightning activity.

Godzilla EL Nino Effect?

On the broader horizon looms another concern — the spectre of a powerful El Niño in the Pacific, so intense that weather analysts have taken to calling it the "Godzilla El Niño."

Traditionally, El Niño suppresses India's monsoon rainfall, raising the threat of drought. Forecasts suggest rainfall could fall nearly 8% below normal between June and September — casting a shadow over agriculture, water reserves, and food prices alike.

That said, meteorologists are quick to clarify: Thursday's ferocity over Kolkata had no direct connection to El Niño.

It was entirely a product of local atmospheric conditions and the influence of that low-pressure trough feeding the thunderclouds.

Nature's opening statement this monsoon season has been loud, electric, and unmistakable. With more rain, lightning, and stormy winds expected in the coming days, the message is clear — stay alert, stay indoors, and heed the warnings of the skies.