2 electrocuted to death, 80 houses damaged as 'tornado' hits West Bengal districts

Photo for representational purpose. File Pic

At least two persons were electrocuted to death and around 80 houses partly damaged after a storm, which West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee described as a "tornado", hit Hooghly and North 24 Parganas districts on Tuesday.

The natural event struck hours before Cyclone Yaas makes landfall near Dhamra Port in Odisha's Bhadrak district early on Wednesday, in the wake of which the Bengal government has evacuated over nine lakh people to safe shelters.

Also Read: Cyclone Yaas: Vessels moved, oil and gas installations in survival mode

"This was unexpected... The tornado wreaked havoc in Chinsurah, partly damaging 40 houses. Two persons were also electrocuted to death," she told reporters.

In North 24 Parganas district's Halisahar, the "tornado" lasted a little over a minute, impacting 40 houses and injuring five people, the CM said.

The injured were taken to hospital by local panchayat members, Banerjee added.

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