At least 24 people were killed and hundreds of others injured while houses, cropland and institutions damaged during Saturday’s nor’wester across the country.
An unidentified 60-year-old man, hit by a drum that had fallen from a building during the storm at Khejurbagh of south Keraniganj, succumbed to his injuries yesterday at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
In Natore, two people were killed in the storm and 90 electric poles damaged along with houses, shops and educational institutions, reports our correspondent.
Of the dead, farmer Khokon Miah, 37, of Pipla village in Gurudaspur, was struck by lightning on his way home from field. Rabeya Begum, 55, of Ramananda-Khazura village in Singra died as a tree fell on her, UNO Nayiruzzaman Khan said.
Alhaj Uddin, deputy director of Agriculture Extension Department, said standing crops were damaged and many seasonal fruit trees such as mango, litchi and jackfruit uprooted in different areas.
Our correspondent in Rajshahi said four people including an elderly woman died during the storm in different areas of the district.
Paba Upazila Nirbahi Officer Kaisarul Islam visited the house of deceased Hakim in Bargachhi village and provided Tk20,000 to his family. He said all affected people would be given financial aid through public representatives concerned.
Houses, small shops, crops and trees were heavily damaged in different areas of Rajshahi city and its suburbs, but the extent of damage could not be estimated immediately.
Rajshahi Met Office said it had recorded 14mm of rainfall until 7:45pm yesterday.
A source at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital said some 20 people hurt in the storm were admitted there. The Power Development Board restored electricity supply in Rajshahi city, which had been snapped during the storm, around 3:30am. Shawkat Hassan, assistant director of Fire Service and Civil Defence, said two teams were engaged to remove the fallen trees.
In Bogra, nine people were found dead yesterday after a fierce nor’wester hit the district, raising the death toll to 14.
Power supply in the district has remained snapped since the night as the storm damaged many electric poles apart from uprooting a large number of trees.
Deputy Commissioner Shafiqur Reza said most of them died in wall collapse, boat capsize and falling of tree branches.
Five people, including a child and two women, were also killed as storm swept Meherpur. Power supply was also hampered and PDB sources said it might be restored today, our correspondent said.
At least 2,500 houses, many trees, educational institutions were damaged in Dirai and Salla upazilas of Sunamganj.
In Kushtia, a quack named Ataul Islam of Sindah village under Kumarkhali,was killed as lightning struck him around 9:30 pm. Boro paddy and many dwelling houses were damaged while several hundred trees uprooted in the affected areas.
Our Naogaon correspondent reported that a woman was killed and 10,000 houses damaged during the storm.
Thunderstorms also damaged crops and properties in Habiganj, Kurigram and a few other districts.
