Cyclone claims life of one; destroys mud houses, crops

One person was killed in Malda district after a 20-minute cyclone disrupted the lives and neighbourhood of four blocks early on Saturday.

According to the district administration, electricity, telephone and Internet connections have tripped and many roads are blocked by huge tree trunks after they fell due to the cyclone.

Crops in fields were also damaged and mud houses and huts ravaged. The district administration informed the death of a person but local sources claimed that two persons died after the cyclone.

The district administration informed that four blocks – Ratua, Hobibpur, Bamongola and Chanchal — were affected. According to a local source, two persons died after they came under a concrete wall that broke down during the cyclone. The shanties were completely destroyed. Several people were injured and some were taken to the hospital.

"A school teacher was critically injured after a tin-shed fell on his hand at Bamongola. Mango trees, potato plantations and corn fields were also affected," said villagers. The local MLAs rushed to the spot to look after the rescue works. The regional meteorological centre (RMC) Kolkata, however, predicted that such cyclone will not hit again in the area at least, the chances are not so high.

"We are farmers. We have to wake up early in the morning. On Saturday, it was dark and cloudy. Suddenly, whirlwinds started to roll in and the entire locality was destroyed within minutes," said a local resident of Rotua.

"The rescue work is underway. The district administration is taking care of things," said another villager.