Four killed as sudden storm hits Jalpaiguri

Four persons were killed and over 100 injured as a storm lasting for a few minutes wreaked havoc in parts of Jalpaiguri and other districts of north Bengal on March 31. The deaths were reported in Jalpaiguri town in the storm which was accompanied by hailstorm and heavy rainfall.

“Sad to know that sudden heavy rainfall and stormy winds brought disasters today afternoon in some Jalpaiguri-Mainaguri areas, with loss of human lives, injuries, house damages, uprooting of trees and electricity poles etc. District and block administration, police, DMG and QRT teams swung into disaster management operations and provided relief,” Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said.

Ms. Banerjee said that affected people were being shifted to safer places and the district administration would provide compensation to the next of kin in the case of deaths, and the injured as per rules and following the model code of conduct.