DHAKA, April 16 (Xinhuanet) -- The death toll in Wednesday night's devastating tornado that lashed north Bangladesh so far rose to at least 66 and over one thousand were injured.

    The tornado Wednesday night hit northeastern district Netrakona and northern district Mymensingh at a speed reaching up to 150 kilometers per hour.

    Police and hospital sources said many villagers were killed or injured by the hail of flying debris, collapsing of houses or falling trees.

    Official source feared the toll may keep going up as many injured are still fighting for life in hospitals.

    Meanwhile, rescue operation is being carried out by the joint forces of police, the para-military Bangladesh Rifles and local administrations of the districts.

    The Relief Ministry has already allocated 125 tons of rice, some 4,167 US dollars (250,000 Taka) in cash, 300 pieces of saree,200 lungis and 250 bundles of sheet as emergency relief for the victims.

    Tornado and storm are common during this season in the calamity-prone Bangladesh with the population of 130 million people.

    According to a report of Daily Star on Friday, the agriculture ministry said the tornadoes and a train of northwesters at the beginning of this summer destroyed farm productions, especially summer rice, wheat, jute and vegetables on 6,580 hectares in 11 central, northern and northeastern districts.

    Summer crops are being cultivated in fields of four million hectares in 2004, contributing half of Bangladesh's annual foodgrain output.

    Officials expected 13 million tons of yield from summer's harvest this year, but they said the output would largely depend on the frequency and ferocity of tornadoes and northwesters in the next two weeks. Enditem