Nor’wester kills eight

At least eight people were killed during nor’wester which, coupled with thunderbolts, lashed different parts of the country in 24 hours ending Wednesday afternoon.
The nor’wester also damaged hundreds of houses and standing crops on vast tracts of lands, uprooted trees and snapped power connections for hours together at many places.
Of the people killed, three were in Comilla and one each in Satkhira, Barisal, Bhola, Kishoreganj and Habiganj, New Age correspondents and officials at disaster management control room in Dhaka said.
Iman Hossain, 12, son of Halim Mia of village Baraipur under Astagram in Kishoreganj, died in lightning strike on Wednesday afternoon when he was on his way home from a nearby bil, said the control room officer-in-charge Kamrun Nahar.
Reports received from districts said that many were injured in the storm while hundreds of houses, standing crops and buds of litchi and mango on vast tracts of lands were damaged.
Department of Agricultural Extension officials in the districts said that they were visiting different affected areas to assess losses in the agricultural sector.
Bangladesh Meteorological Department, in its 24-hour forecast since Wednesday 6:00pm, said rain and thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty wind with lightning flashes was likely to occur at many places over Dhaka, Barisal, Chittagong, Mymensingh and Sylhet divisions and at a few places over Rangpur, Rajshahi and Khulna divisions with hails at isolated places over the country.
On March 30 and March 31, at least 17 people were killed in nor’wester, coupled with hailstorm and rain. The nor’wester also damaged crops on vast tracts of lands in at least 18 districts.
New Age correspondent in Satkhira, quoting Chandanpur union parishad chairman Monirul Islam, reported that farmer Billal Sardar, 35, of village Kadpur under Kalaroa upazila was killed by lightning strike when he went to the field near his house to harvest crop.
‘As he went to the field, nor’wester began and he died on the spot being hit by a lightning strike,’ he said.
Our Correspondent in Comilla reported that two housewives and a former BADC officer were killed in three incidents of lightning strikes during nor’wester in the district Tuesday night. 
The deceased are Rufiya Begum, 60, of village Chandadchar and Ajmeri Begum, 42, of village South Nasuruddin of Daudkandi and Majidur Majumu, 55, a former BADC officer of village Madhumura area under Debidwer upazila. 
All the victims were near their residences while they were killed.
Our correspondent in Barisal reported that one was killed and five were injured in Barisal while another one was killed and 20 were injured in Bhola during nor’wester that damaged several hundred mud houses and damaged standing crops of on vast tracts of lands.
In Barisal, Rashida Begum, 31, of Paschim Boalia under Muladi upazila was killed as a tree broke down on her during Tuesday afternoon’s nor’wester, said Safipur union parishad chairman Md Abu Musa. 
A good number of houses were damaged and broken tree logs caused severe tailbacks at places of Dhaka-Barisal highway, Gournadi, Baherganj, Muladi and Sadar upazila administration officials said.
Five of the injured were admitted to Gournadi Upazila Health Complex and Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital.
Gournadi Palli Bidyut deputy general manager Fazlur Huq said power supply was severely affected as 10 pillars of electricity supply line were broken during the nor’wester.
In Bhola, boatman Abdus Shukkur, 22, from Jessore, was killed as his boat overturned and sank in the River Tentulia at Lalmohon in the district Tuesday afternoon during nor’wester. 
At least 20 people injured in the storm were admitted to Lalmohon Upazila Health Complex until Wednesday morning, hospital officials said.
Lalmohon upazila nirbahi officer Habibul Hasan Rum said that at least 150 houses were totally damaged while 250 partially.
Monpura UNO Abdul Aziz Bhuiyan said that he was informed that at 
least five hundred houses were damaged in the nor’wester.
New Age staff correspondent in Sylhet, quoting Banichang police officer-in-charge Mozammel Haque, reported that Amir Ali, 60, of village Pailarkandi in Habiganj was killed being hit by a thunderbolt Tuesday afternoon. 
Standing crops on around 29,700 hectares were damaged by hailstorms that lashed 18 districts on March 30 and 31, according to Department of Agricultural Extension.
DAE officials told New Age that the standing boro rice crop on over 20,000 hectares and summer maize crop on over 3,700 hectares was damaged. 
They said that the crop losses were caused especially by gusty winds accompanied by hailstorms.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net