At least 110 people were killed and over 200 injured when a storm packed with a windspeed of 125 kmph raged for 40 minutes leaving a trail of destruction in North Dinajpur district in West Bengal and neighbouring districts of Bihar and Assam.
While 39 people were killed in North Dinajpur, 67 died in five districts of Kishanganj, Araria, Supaul, Purnia and Katihar in Bihar in the storm that hit at midnight last night.
Four persons were killed in Mankachar under Dhubri district while the nor'wester also affected Jorhat, Tinsukia, Sibsagar and Kamrup districts in Assam. The toll could be much higher, the authorities said. Hundreds of dwellings collapsed like a house of cards and people cried out for help as the storm created havoc in many areas. "It was like a cyclone with people shouting Cyclone Aila, which hit West Bengal last year. We prayed for early end of nature's fury," Sudan Sahay, a resident of Araria, said.
North Dinajpur District Magistrate Ramanuj Chakraborty said 17 people died in Karandighi block, six in Goalpokhor block, seven in Raiganj, while Chakulia and Hemtabad blocks accounted for three deaths each. Two others died in Kaliaganj and one person in Itahar.
In neighbouring Kishenganj, Araria, Purnia, Supaul and Katihar districts, 67 people were killed and 125 injured, officials said. Regional Met Centre Director G C Debnath said the storm was a severe nor'wester.
West Bengal Chief Secretary Asok Mohan Chakraborty, who put the toll at 32, told reporters in Kolkata that the Centre has offered help to the state government.
The next of kin of each of the 38 persons killed in the storm in West Bengal's North Dinajpur district will receive Rs two lakh as compensation.
"As per rules, each of the kin of the 38 persons, killed in the storm that ripped through four blocks last night, will get Rs two lakh as compensation," Civil Defence Minister Srikumar Mukherjee told PTI over phone from Raiganj.
Assistance will be given for rebuilding houses on the basis of reports to be submitted by BDOs, he said.
The minister, who visited the worst-hit areas of Karandighi block, said dry food, rice, garments and 50,000 pieces of tarpaulin were sent to the affected villages.
Mukherjee said it would take time to restore the power supply.
