South 24 Parganas, 15 July (H.S.) A devastating storm lasting barely three minutes wreaked havoc in two villages under Raidighi constituency of South 24 Parganas district on Wednesday morning. The high-speed winds damaged numerous houses, uprooted massive trees, and brought down power lines, plunging large areas into darkness.

As per local sources, around 9 a.m. on Wednesday, a sudden storm swept through Gayanergheri and Kumropada villages in Raidighi.

The intense gusts in that short span of three minutes caused extensive destruction. Roofs of several houses, made of tin, tiles, and asbestos sheets, were blown away. Many walls collapsed, and giant trees were uprooted, snapping power lines at multiple locations. As a result, power supply in the affected areas was completely disrupted. Roads were also blocked due to fallen trees, halting vehicular movement.

Mohammad Sajir Hossain, BDO of Mathurapur Block II, confirmed that around 30 houses in the two villages had been damaged. He added that the local panchayat had already been provided with dry rations, plastic sheets (tarpaulin), and other emergency supplies for distribution among the affected families.

Teams from the electricity department are working to restore power. The panchayat has begun clearing roads. No casualties have been reported till the time of filing of the news.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey