At least three persons, including two women, were killed and a three-year-old child was injured in Bihar’s Madhepura district after a storm hit the region on Sunday night, officials said. Dozens of houses were damaged and crops were affected. The district administration has started assessing the casualties and damages.
The deceased have been identified as Umda Devi (40), a resident of Patori, Arhuliya Devi (45), a resident of Majarhat, and Sudhir Yadav (25) of Kumarkhand.
Sudhir lost his life when the tin of his house’s roof struck him, cutting off his face; both the women were crushed to death when their houses collapsed.
Kuldeep Mandal, husband of one of the two victims (Arhuliya Devi) said, “The storm hit suddenly with great speed. The house collapsed and my wife was trapped in it, and she died.”
Madhepura sub divisional officer (SDO) Dheeraj Kumar Sinha, talking to HT over phone, said, “Circle officers have been asked to assess the damage and casualties and by the evening they are expected to submit the report.”
District agriculture officer (DAO) Rajan Balan said, “Two crops, mango and banana, have been worst affected and I have directed all the block agriculture officers to assess the damage.”
The storm hit all the seven districts of both Saharsa and Purnia divisions and the damage to mango crop has been reported from almost everywhere. The cyclone badly affected power supply and their restoration work is underway.
