At least four people were killed and more than 100 people injured on Sunday afternoon as a cyclonic storm whipped through West Bengal. Several houses were damaged and trees uprooted as strong winds wreaked havoc across the district headquarters and parts of neighbouring Mainaguri. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has left for the affected area and rescue operations remain underway.
“Sad to know that sudden heavy rainfall and stormy winds brought disasters this afternoon in some Jalpaiguri-Mainaguri areas, with loss of human lives, injuries, house damages, uprooting of trees and electricity poles. District and block administration, police, DMG and QRT teams swung into disaster management operations and provide relief,” tweeted CM Banerjee.
Affected individuals are now being shifted to safer locations. The CM said that the district administration would also provide compensation to next of kin in the case of the deaths, and the injured as per rules and following the MCC.
“Around 166 patients came to the hospital with injuries and 36 of them have been admitted here and 3 people were brought dead. The total death toll is 4,” said BJP MP Jayanta Kumar Roy.
Meanwhile, West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose set up an emergency cell in the Raj Bhavan to deal with the storm in Jalpaiguri.
“The Governor is in touch with the Disaster Management Authority in Delhi. He requested the NDMA to rush more reinforcement by way of manpower and materials to Jalpaiguri. The Governor is also in touch with the Central Home Ministry. He will camp in Jalpaiguri tomorrow and visit ground zero and the houses of the victims,” the Raj Bhavan said.
(With inputs from agencies)
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