Four persons were killed and at least 70 people injured as a storm destroyed parts of Jalpaiguri district in northern West Bengal on Sunday, officials said.
Several houses were damaged, trees uprooted and electric poles fell as strong winds devastated most parts of the district headquarters town and many areas of neighbouring Mainaguri, they said.
Among the most affected areas were Rajarhat, Barnish, Bakali, Jorpakdi, Madhabdanga and Saptibari, they said.
The killed were identified as Dijendra Narayan Sarkar (52) of Senpara, Anima Burman (45) of Paharpur, Jagen Roy (72) of Putimari and Samar Roy (64) of Rajarhat, they added.
“A rescue operation is underway,” a disaster management officer said.
Dhupguri MLA Nirmal Chandra Roy told PTI that several people were admitted to hospital with injuries.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said personnel of the civil administration, police and disaster management have been deployed for the relief works.
Quick response teams (QRTs) have also been deployed, and the affected people were being shifted to safer places, she said.
“Sad to know that sudden heavy rainfall and stormy winds brought disasters today afternoon in some Jalpaiguri-Maynaguri areas, with loss of human lives, injuries, house damages, uprooting of trees and electricity poles etc,” she posted on X.
“District administration will provide compensation to next of family in the case of the deaths, and the injured as per rules and following the MCC (model code of conduct),” she added.
Stating that she was with the affected families, Banerjee assured them that the administration would provide all sorts of assistance.
