At least 12 people were killed and more than 150 others injured this evening as a tornado wrought havoc and left trails of devastation at villages in Rajkanika block of Orissa's Kendrapara district.
"Twelve bodies were recovered so far after the furious tornado swept 11 villages in five gram panchayats. A large number of people were injured," Additional Superintendent of Police Kumarmani Meher said. However, the death toll has been put at around 20 by local panchayat raj functionaries and residents.
"The tornado damaged more than 300 houses, uprooted a large number of trees blocking roads and toppled electric poles during its brief spell of fury," Kendrapara Collector Sisirkanta Panda said. Over 150 people were injured, many of them critically, in the storm.
The condition of about 25 people, including elderly and children, was stated to be critical, they said. The injured were admitted to hospitals at Rajkanika and Aul and those with critical injuries were later shifted to S C B Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack. The administration granted Rs one lakh each to families of the dead, Rs 50,000 to those who were handicapped, Rs 7,500 to seriously injured and Rs 2,500 to injured persons, sources said.
