Cyclonic storm toll rises to 4

Malda (WB): The toll in the devastating cyclonic storm in West Bengal’s Malda district rose to four as two more persons succumbed to their injuries today.

District Magistrate Tanmoy Chakraborty said the two, one of them a one-and-half year baby, died at the Malda Medical College and Hospital here.

While the baby hailed from Habibpur, the other – a nonagenarian was from Bamongola in the district, he said.

Two men had died due to collapse of mud walls during the storm yesterday at Gazole and Chanchal 2 block.

A number of other people were injured, Chakraborty said adding the proposal for ex-gratia to the victims was being sent to the state government.

Around 1000 houses have been totally damaged and another 10000 partly damaged in the calamity, which also devastated about 1000 hectares of maize, 5000 hectares of wheat, 1500 hectares of potato, 4250 hectares of boro paddy, 200 hectares of vegetables and 30 acres of horticultural crop, Chakraborty had said yesterday.

—PTI