Jalpaiguri Storm: 5 Killed, 500 Injured, CM Mamata Banerjee Takes Stock of Situation

Jalpaiguri Storm: At least five people, including a woman, were killed and around 500 injured, while several houses were damaged by norwester at two places in north Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district on Sunday afternoon. The storm hit villages spread across a few square kilometres around 3.30 pm on March 31 and lasted around 10 minutes.

Storm kills five in Jalpaiguri-Mainaguri, West Bengal

Jalpaiguri in West Bengal also experienced stormy weather and caused considerable damage to property. One person was killed in Jalpaiguri after being crushed under a tree that fell due to the storm. Three others have reportedly lost their life owing to the cyclonic storm. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee posted about the storm in WB on social media. 

"Disaster response team has been deployed and helpdesks set up," a senior official of Jalpaiguri district said.

However, not much damage happened in Cooch Behar and Alipurduar districts, another official added.

Dhupguri MLA Nirmal Chandra Roy told PTI that several people have been admitted to hospital with injuries.

An emergency cell has also been opened at the Raj Bhavan to deal with the situation in Jalpaiguri, officials said.

According to an official statement, the governor is in touch with the disaster management authority in Delhi and has requested them to rush more reinforcement by way of manpower and materials to Jalpaiguri.

"He will camp in Jalpaiguri tomorrow and visit ground zero and houses of the victims," it said. 

PM Modi condoles deaths in WB

"My thoughts are with those affected by the storms in Jalpaiguri-Mainaguri areas of West Bengal. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. Spoke to officials and asked them to ensure proper assistance to those impacted by the heavy rains. I would also urge all @BJP4Bengal Karyakartas to assist those affected," tweeted PM Modi.

CM Mamata Banerjee in Jalpaiguri

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will be in Jalpaiguri to take stock of the situation and meet the cyclone-affected people. The CM posted on X after the storms today, “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 provide relief. Affected people are being shifted to safer places. District administration will provide compensation to next of kin in the case of the deaths, and the injured as per rules and following the MCC. I stand with the affected families and I am sure District administration will continue to take all measures to provide rescue and relief.”

"Administration is doing whatever they can. And, they will continue doing so. Can't say much because of MCC," said West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee while declaring that 5 people were killed and 2 people are in a critical state.

Governor CV Ananda Bose sets up emergency cell

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has set up an emergency cell in the Raj Bhavan to deal with the storm in Jalpaiguri, said a statement from Raj Bhavan, Kolkata. The governor is in touch with the disaster management authority in Delhi. He has requested the National Disaster Management Authority (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 to visit Ground Zero and the houses of the victims, according to the statement.

Elaborating on the matter, West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose said, "As you all know Jalpaiguri was hit by the storms yesterday. There has been a loss of life...Houses have been damaged. We are all concerned about it. Yesterday itself, I had a detailed discussion with the National Resources Management Authority members and the secretary. They have been requested to supply reinforcement and materials if needed. All the agencies are acting together and as we know the chief minister (of the state) has also reached their. I will be there. I will visit the field, interact with the officials concerned and understand the losses faced by the people. Then we will take whatever decision is required. We will bring them litigation and relief. This is a very unfortunate incident. We will certainly see what best can be done for those who are in the hospitals. Everything possible will be done. The nation is ready. Bengal is ready..."

On West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee's Jalpaiguri visit, West Bengal Assembly LoP Suvendu Adhikari said, “Initially, NDRF did the relief work. Rescue rehabilitation and relief work are not being done properly, rather the speeches and photo sessions are being done... There was no weather forecast monitoring.”

Storms, Heavy Rainfall Damage in Jorhat and Guwahati in Assam

Storms and heavy rainfall have caused damage in Jorhat and Guwahati in Assam on Sunday. The heavy downpour in Guwahati on Sunday led to collapse of a ceiling at the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International (LGBI) Airport. There was chaos among passengers, but no injury has been reported. Three people, including two children, were killed when a boat capsized in the Brahmaputra River on Sunday night due to heavy rainfall and storm.

An official statement on the Guwahati airport roof collapse by Utpal Baruah, Chief Operating Officer, LGBI Airport, read, "Due to heavy downpour and wind, flight operations got affected due to adverse weather conditions today evening. Approach road was blocked due to uprooting of trees. Roof outlets got heavily overflowed and water instilled inside the terminal building. Outside terminal building, a small portion of ceiling fell open due to pressure of water and wind. There is no injury or damage. Total six flights got diverted to Agartala and Kolkata due to adverse weather conditions. Operations resumed normal now."

This is a developing story.