West Bengal

IIE DIGITAL DESK : Malda, June 3, 2025 —The sudden and terrifying turn of weather, a powerful whirlwind struck several areas of Harishchandrapur in Malda district, leaving a trail of destruction and panic on Monday evening. The storm, which lasted only a few minutes, was strong enough to uproot trees, collapse tin roofs, and flatten dozens of mud and thatched houses across multiple villages.

The whirlwind, described by locals as a "mini tornado," caught residents completely off guard. There had been no prior weather alert or indication of such a sudden storm. According to eyewitness accounts, the skies darkened rapidly in the late afternoon, followed by loud winds that roared across the paddy fields and rushed into residential areas.

The entire locality was in chaos — walls crumbled, roofs were blown away, and power lines snapped under the force of the wind. The most severely hit villages include Bhaluka, Akandabaria, and Danga, where dozens of families are now without shelter 

“I had just stepped out to feed the cattle when I saw the sky turning black,” said Abdul Karim, a resident of Bhaluka village. “Within seconds, I heard a loud noise, and my house collapsed like a pack of cards. I couldn’t save anything.”

Dozens of homes — most of them built with bamboo, tin, and mud — were either partially or fully destroyed. In some cases, large trees fell on houses, injuring people and damaging property. Fortunately, no deaths have been reported so far, but several villagers sustained injuries ranging from cuts and bruises to fractures.

The district administration has confirmed the storm's occurrence and damage, stating that relief operations are underway. A team of officials, including disaster management personnel, visited the affected areas on Tuesday morning to assess the extent of the damage 

Local Block Development Officers (BDO) and panchayat members have begun distributing tarpaulins, dry food, and drinking water to the displaced families. The administration has also set up temporary shelters in local school buildings and community halls for those whose homes are uninhabitable.

“We are trying to ensure that all affected families get immediate assistance,” said a Harishchandrapur II block official. “Damage assessment is ongoing, and compensation will be disbursed as per government norms once the full report is prepared.”

Power supply remains disrupted in many areas, as electric poles were uprooted and cables damaged. The West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (WBSEDCL) has deployed workers to restore electricity, but officials say it may take at least two days for full restoration due to the extent of the damage 

Beyond residential damage, the whirlwind has also taken a toll on agricultural fields. Early reports suggest that standing paddy and summer vegetable crops have been badly damaged, especially in low-lying areas.

“For farmers like us, this is devastating,” said Reba Saha, another resident. “Our house is broken, and so is our field. We don’t know how we will recover.”

With agriculture being the primary source of livelihood in the region, this unexpected natural calamity threatens to deepen economic hardship in an already vulnerable rural population 

Weather experts suggest that while such whirlwinds or “kalbaisakhi” storms are not uncommon in Bengal during the pre-monsoon season, their increasing frequency and intensity are cause for concern. Many are linking these unpredictable weather patterns to broader climate change effects, which often result in sudden localized extreme events.

As Harishchandrapur tries to recover from this unexpected blow, locals are left grappling not only with the physical damage but also with the psychological fear of when such a storm might strike again — unannounced and unstoppable.