PATNA: Around 33 people were killed and more than 80 injured in Indian state of Bihar late on Tuesday night as storm hit the state.
The powerful storm destroyed crops and properties, officials said today.
The storm lashed several districts across the state, uprooting trees and toppling power lines, the officials said.
The storm hit in the areas of Purnia, Madhepura, Saharsa, Madhubani, Samastipur, Darbhanga and Samastipur uprooting several thousand trees, damaging power lines and destroying thousands of huts and standing crops of maize, wheat and pulses.
The official added that road transport in the districts have been hit in the aftermath of the storm as many trees are lying uprooted.
Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) Director in Patna, R K Giri, said the storm packed wind speed around 65 km per hour.
“The storm descended from Nepal side hitting Purnia, Sitamarhi, Darbhanga and went deep inside the state up to Bhagalpur. Our radar data is showing that the wind speed was around 65 km per hour,” Giri said.
Such storms, he said, are common in this season and are called ‘Kal Baisakhi’ or ‘nor’westers’.
The state government has launched relief and rescue operations in the affected districts.
The government has also announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh each for the kin of the victims.
Chief Minister of Inidan state Nitish Kumar will also conduct an aerial survey of the two districts.
