Zimbabwe declares national disaster due to drought
Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Wednesday declared a state of disaster due to an El Nino-induced drought threatening food security in the country.
Four agricultural labourers were killed and eleven others injured in a road mishap due to poor visibility and fog at Raniganj-Moregram national highway 14, near Mansuba Mor in Rampurhat in Birbhum district at wee hours today.
All the injured have been admitted to Rampurhat Medical College Hospital. Police sources said that a group of fifteen agricultural labourers, all of Chituri village in Rampurhat have been travelling in a van and were going to Margram for paddy harvesting.
A speeding truck, coming from Mallarpur side, crashed with the van from the back side. The impact threw all the labourers on the road. At the same time., another truck coming from the opposite side ran over them.
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Three woman, Rashmoni Sardar, Leela Let and Rakhi Sardar died on the spot while the fourth woman succumbed to her injuries at Rampurhat Medical College Hospital.
After hearing the news, both Rampurhat Police and fire brigade officials rushed to the site.
The matador has been seized, while the driver and helper managed to escape.
Locals alleged that though vans are not allowed on national highways, how could the van with so many labourers ply on that stretch?
Birbhum Police said that prima facie it seems that due to poor visibility and fog the truck driver could not notice the van on the highway. Rampurhat Police has started investigation, while the truck is yet to be seized.
Last year too, a similar incident occurred near the same spot at NH-19, a villager claimed.
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