Bhawanipatna: A powerful nor’wester storm hit Bhawanipatna town in Kalahandi district Saturday afternoon, bringing strong winds and hailstorm that caused damage to vehicles, public infrastructure and disrupted power supply.
Under the impact of the storm, a tree was uprooted and fell on a car near the Telephone Bhavan close to Statue Chowk in the town. A canopy built near the traffic signal at Satya Sai School Square to shade commuters from extreme heat was also damaged in the storm.
The stage and barricades erected for an ongoing sports fair at Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium were reportedly damaged due to the heavy wind and rain. Several trees got uprooted across the town, disrupting electricity supply in many areas.
Fire services personnel launched operations to clear fallen trees from roads and restore traffic movement.
Officials of TPWODL also began repair work to restore electricity. On the other hand, residents of Bhawanipatna received relief from the prevailing heatwave conditions following the rain. The town had been recording temperatures above 43 degrees Celsius over the past few days.
Reports also surfaced that the Nor’wester also left a trail of destruction in Koraput’s Lamtaput area. The storm uprooted a massive tree which fell directly onto the main road near Guneipada village, leading to a complete blockade of vehicular movement along the Lamtaput–Machkund main road.