Tornado devastated everything within minutes: Fazilka residents

Praful Chander Nagpal

Fazilka, March 25

Two decades ago, a tornado lashed Jandwala Meerasangla village in Fazilka district leaving four persons dead and damaging hundreds of houses in February 2003. It struck the border Bakainwala village in the district once again on Friday, leaving villagers in a state of shock.

A village resident, Joginder Singh, said he and his wife Manjeet Kaur were out of the village while their uncle Raj Singh got buried under the debris of their house. He was dragged out by villagers after cutting the fallen lentil and shifted to the Medical College and Hospital, Faridkot.

Sources said at least 58 constructed and ‘kucha’ houses were completely or partially damaged by the tornado.

“A portion of a church was also damaged. A religious congregation, which was to be held on Sunday, has been postponed,” said pastor Vinod Kumar. A farmer, Raj Singh, is shocked as his 2.5 acres of kinnow orchard has almost been uprooted and standing wheat crop on another 2.5 acres has been washed away. The velocity of the tornado was so severe that some kinnow trees were uprooted.

A villager, Gurnam Singh, said before they could realise the intensity of the storm, which arose from the southern side of the village, it devastated everything within 15 minutes. Another villager, Manju Rani, said no immediate support was provided to them by government officials or leaders.

“When will the loss be assessed and how much compensation will be given to victims is anybody’s guess,” rued former Fazilka MLA Mohinder Kumar Rinwa.

SAD president and Ferozepur MP Sukhbir Singh Badal visited the village today and announced a grant of Rs 5 lakh from the MPLAD Fund.