Rain, hailstorm wreak havoc, 4 dead in West Bengal; houses and crops damaged in Manipur and Assam

Parts of Assam, Manipur, and West Bengal suffered extensive damage to homes, crops, and livestock after strong winds coupled with heavy rains lashed the northeastern part of India.

In West Bengal's Jalpaiguri, four people lost their lives and more than 100 others were injured. In Assam, Jorhat witnessed widespread destruction of homes and crops.

A similar situation was also reported in Manipur villages. 

Meanwhile, a sudden downpour accompanied by a storm wreaked havoc at the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport here on Sunday, prompting the authorities to briefly halt operations and divert six flights to other destinations, a senior official said.

The storm uprooted a big tree at the Oil India complex outside the Adani Group-controlled facility and blocked a road, Chief Airport Officer (CAO) Utpal Baruah told PTI.

"We immediately rushed there and cleared the road for smooth supply of fuel to the terminal. It took us over half-an-hour," he said.

When the rain and storm lashed the area, a portion of the roof was blown away in the forecourt area, Baruah said.

"It was very old and could not withstand the impact. Due to this, the ceiling broke open and water started flowing inside. However, there was no injury and everything is under control," he said.

A purported video of the ceiling falling apart and rainwater gushing has gone viral on different social media platforms.

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