‘Mini tornado’ leaves 4 dead, 367 injured in India

At least four people were killed — crushed under falling trees — at two different places when a northwester, accompanied by a ‘mini tornado’, lashed Jalpaiguri for five minutes on Sunday afternoon, Report informs, citing The Times of India.

Around 367 people had to be hospitalized for injuries, even as initial estimates said there were “massive” losses to property at Jalpaiguri Sadar and Maynaguri blocks.

Alipore Met office said the Maynaguri storm may have been a "mini tornado" that accompanied a northwester in the region. "It generated an estimated wind speed of around 60kmph to 70kmph, though the speed inside the system must have been much more," said Regional Meteorological Centre director GK Das. "Northwesters are often accompanied by such mini tornadoes, which cause extensive destruction and loss of life. That seems to have happened in Jalpaiguri on Sunday."