Cyclone kills 15
2006-09-20 17:40
New Delhi - A severe cyclone hit eastern India early on Wednesday, killing at least 15 people and injuring 300 others, a news report said.
The storm left a trail of destruction in two districts in West Bengal state, toppling thousands of mud huts, trees, and electricity and telephone poles, Press Trust of India news agency reported, quoting the state Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta.
Dasgupta said an alert has been sounded and fishermen were told not to venture out to sea because heavy rains have been lashing the region.
The death toll was expected to rise as reports from interior areas had yet to come in, the report said.
Rescue and relief teams have rushed to the affected areas.
The annual monsoon season is often marked by cyclonic activity in the Bay of Bengal. The season begins in June and lasts until October.
- AP