A cyclonic storm codenamed 'Bijli' formed over the west-central and adjoining east-central Bay and moved slightly northwards on Thursday evening, packing a wind speed of up to 80 kilometers per hour.

A latest special bulletin of the Met Office said it was centered about 735 km southwest of Chittagong Port, 685 km southwest of Cox's Bazar Port and 600 km south/southwest of Mongla Port at 6pm.

- Bangladesh advised ports to hoist cautionary signals and asked all fishing boats and trawlers not to venture into deep seas as a tropical storm brewed in the Bay of Bengal, the meteorological department said on Wednesday.

The storm packing winds up to 50 km (31 miles) was 1,135 km (710 miles) southwest of the country's main Chittagong port at 0000 GMT.

Alipurduar: A hailstorm accompanied by rain flattened tea bushes and damaged property in four tea gardens of the Alipurduar subdivision last night.

The calamity hit the Tasati, Mujnai Subhasini and Ethelbari tea estates around 10.15pm and left a trail of devastation in just 15 minutes.

Unfortunately this poor country is probably the most disaster prone in the world. Rapid growth in population and a slow rate of growth of the economy have forced a substantial part of the ever increasing population to settle in areas too risky for human habitation.

Light to moderate rain accompanied by hailstorm at some places in Punjab has devastated wheat and other crops in about 50-60 villages.

AHMEDABAD : Mercury levels in the city have shot up with temperatures going two degrees above normal. Weatherman warns that there may be more dust storms this week. The last such storm hit the city in March and claimed 52 trees.

At least 30 people, including a child, were feared killed and over 200 others injured when a tornado ripped through a dozen of villages in Orissa

An increase in sea surface temperature is evident at all latitudes and in all oceans. The current understanding is that ocean warming plays a major role in intensified cyclone activity and heightened storm surges.

Heavy damage was caused to seasonal crops and houses, due to a hailstorm which swept through Imphal West and Thoubal districts on Friday night.

Over 400 houses have been damaged in the hailstorm, that blew last night, at Iram Siphai, Chongtham Kona, Laiphrakpam and Mutum Phibou villages in Imphal West and Thoubal district apart from leaving behind a trail of destruction on standing crops.

GUWAHATI, March 26

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