West Bengal governor’s visit to cyclone-hit area cancelled

KOLKATA - West Bengal Governor M.K. Narayanan’s visit to cyclone-ravaged North Dinajpur district was cancelled Saturday due to poor weather conditions, an official said.

“The governor’s helicopter was to reach the district headquarters of Raiganj but it could not land because of poor weather conditions.

“It (helicopter) finally returned to Siliguri as we came to know from the principal secretary (relief) M.L. Meena,” North Dinajpur District Magistrate Ramanuj Chakraborty told IANS.

Narayanan was scheduled to visit the storm-affected areas and meet senior district officials to review the relief operations.

“Perhaps the helicopter could not locate the exact location of the helipad,” he said.

Said state Civil Defence Minister Srikumar Mukherjee: “The helicopter did not land at Raigunj as the pilot could not take the risk because of the cloudy weather.”

At least 43 people were killed and more than 100 injured in the cyclonic storm that left more than one lakh houses damaged in the district Tuesday.

The storm with wind speed of 120 km per hour started at about 10.30 p.m. Tuesday and swept across five blocks of the district, leaving thousands homeless and bringing down trees.