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| At least 60 dead in India storm | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| At least 60 people have died in a powerful storm that hit a district on the border of the Indian state of West Bengal and Bangladesh, officials say. | |
| The state's civil defence minister Srikumar Mukherji has left for the Uttar Dinajpur district, where the devastation was huge. | The state's civil defence minister Srikumar Mukherji has left for the Uttar Dinajpur district, where the devastation was huge. |
| Mr Mukherji is personally overseeing relief operations. | Mr Mukherji is personally overseeing relief operations. |
| He told the BBC that bodies were being found in the rubble of 50,000 houses that collapsed or were damaged. | He told the BBC that bodies were being found in the rubble of 50,000 houses that collapsed or were damaged. |
| Hundreds of people have been admitted to hospital with severe injuries. | Hundreds of people have been admitted to hospital with severe injuries. |
| Blown away | Blown away |
| "Most of the victims were buried under the collapsed walls of their homes," Mr Mukherji said. | "Most of the victims were buried under the collapsed walls of their homes," Mr Mukherji said. |
| West Bengal is often hit by violent storms | West Bengal is often hit by violent storms |
| The BBC's Subir Bhaumik in Calcutta says that the worst damage was reported from Raiganj, Islampur, Karandighi, Kaliaganj and Hemtabad areas of West Bengal. | The BBC's Subir Bhaumik in Calcutta says that the worst damage was reported from Raiganj, Islampur, Karandighi, Kaliaganj and Hemtabad areas of West Bengal. |
| Our correspondent says that the storm was followed by heavy rains that further added to the woes of villagers whose housetops had earlier been blown away. | Our correspondent says that the storm was followed by heavy rains that further added to the woes of villagers whose housetops had earlier been blown away. |
| Most of Uttar Dinajpur district is without power because electricity poles collapsed after trees uprooted by the storm fell on them. | Most of Uttar Dinajpur district is without power because electricity poles collapsed after trees uprooted by the storm fell on them. |
| Telecommunication links have been severely hit, railway lines damaged and roads closed. | Telecommunication links have been severely hit, railway lines damaged and roads closed. |
| Officials say that the storm - which also killed two people in the Rangpur area of Bangladesh - was an extreme form of what is locally known as a "nor'wester" - a weather pattern that develops over the Bay of Bengal during the hot months of the year. | Officials say that the storm - which also killed two people in the Rangpur area of Bangladesh - was an extreme form of what is locally known as a "nor'wester" - a weather pattern that develops over the Bay of Bengal during the hot months of the year. |
| "The storm has damaged more than 11,000 mud, tin and concrete homes in Rangpur district alone - many of the houses were completely demolished. It was a huge storm and we are still assessing the damage," Rangpur district administrator BM Enamul Haq told the AFP news agency. | "The storm has damaged more than 11,000 mud, tin and concrete homes in Rangpur district alone - many of the houses were completely demolished. It was a huge storm and we are still assessing the damage," Rangpur district administrator BM Enamul Haq told the AFP news agency. |
| In May last year more than 155 people were killed by Cyclone Aila, which hit West Bengal and Bangladesh. | In May last year more than 155 people were killed by Cyclone Aila, which hit West Bengal and Bangladesh. |
| The latest storm comes as nine of India's 29 states endure a heat wave which has taken temperatures above 40C in many northern areas. | The latest storm comes as nine of India's 29 states endure a heat wave which has taken temperatures above 40C in many northern areas. |
| The Press Trust of India reported that the number of heat-related deaths rose to 42 in the eastern state of Orissa since the beginning of the month, with another five people dying on Tuesday. | The Press Trust of India reported that the number of heat-related deaths rose to 42 in the eastern state of Orissa since the beginning of the month, with another five people dying on Tuesday. |