Nor'wester claims 12 lives in West Bengal

KOLKATA: With two more deaths reported from worst-hit Malda and Jalpaiguri districts, the toll in the lightning and storm during the nor'wester has climbed to 12.
    
In Malda, where ten deaths were reported, another person died in a house collapse at Kaliachak area, police said on Friday.
    
Lightning claimed seven lives at Ratua block 1, two at Manikchak and 1 at Englishbazar. The dead included a CPI-M gram panchayat candidate.
    
The nor'wester felled trees and caused considerable damage to mud houses and crops.
    
Reports from Jalpaiguri said a 17-year-old was killed in lightning yesterday at Ambani Falakata, where two others were injured. Another person was injured in the high velocity storm at Alipurduar.
    
The storm uprooted trees at Malbazar, Kalchini and Latabari in Duars area, official sources said.