10 killed as nor'wester lashes parts of Barishal division, Bagerhat

A nor'wester coupled with thundershower lashed Patuakhali, Pirojpur, Jhalakathi, Bhola and Barguna districts of Barishal division and Bagergat district on Sunday (7 April), leaving 10 people killed and destroying houses and trees.

The storm swept through several upazilas of Pirojpur around 9am, killing two people, including a woman.

Rubi Begum, 23, of Hularhat area of the sadar upazila, was killed as a tree fell on her. 

Her six-year-old daughter was among the injured. She was given first aid at Pirojpur Sadar Hospital, and later shifted to Khulna Medical College Hospital in a critical condition, Pirojpur Sadar Hospital's on-duty doctor Ramjan Ali told The Business Standard. 

He said so far 13 people who sustained injuries during the storm were given first aid.

After the storm, the body of one Anik Pal, 83, was recovered from a canal in Ranipur village of the sadar upazila around 3:30pm. Locals suspect he was blown off by strong wind during the storm. 

Pirojpur Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Jahedur Rahman said relief materials, including dry food, will be distributed among the affected, and the family of the deceased will be given financial assistance. 

The extent of damage in the storm will be ascertained and disclosed later, he added.

In Jhalakathi, the storm started around 11am and continued for half an hour, leaving two women and a minor girl killed. 

The deceased are – Helena Begum, of Munshirabad Gazibari area of Kathalia upazila; Minara Begum of Shekherhat area and Mahia Akter of Ponabalia area of Jhalakathi sadar upazila.  

Superintendent of Jhalakathi district police Mohammad Afruzul Haque Tutul told TBS that the three lost their lives as they tried to bring cattle in from fields during the storm.

"Police visited the spots. Unnatural death cases will be filed in this connection," he said.

In Patuakhali, the storm started around 10:30am and continued till 11:05am, leaving a teenaged boy and an elderly woman dead in Bauphal upazila.

Ratul, son of one Jahir Shikder in Nazirpur union of Bauphal, was found dead after the storm. Locals suspect a lightning bolt had struck him.

Sufia Begum, 85, of Char Algi village in Dash Para union, was killed as a tree collapsed on her house, said the union's Chairman NM Jahangir Hossain.

He said the storm uprooted trees and damaged roads in various areas, disrupting communication and power supply. The uprooted trees were being removed.

In Bhola, two people were killed in the district's Lalmohan upazila and over hundred houses were damaged. The deceased are — Haris, 68, and Bachchu, 40.

Lalmohan Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Toihidul Islam told TBS, "Haris died in a mud slide during the storm while Bachchu died as a thunderstorm hit him."

Barishal Divisional Weather Observatory Office In-Charge Bashir Ahmed said 15.2mm rainfall was recorded in Barishal district as the storm ripped through the coastal districts of Patuakhali, Pirojpur and Barguna. 

According to locals, the storm swept through more than 30 upazilas of the division, damaging hundreds of houses and trees. In many areas, road communication and power supply were disrupted.

In Bagerhat, one person was killed, ten others were injured, and around 150 houses were damaged as a nor'wester lashed parts of the district Sunday morning. 

The deceased was identified as Likchan Sardar, 35, of Kachua upazila, reports UNB.

Khalid Hossain, the deputy commissioner of Bagerhat, said Likchan died on the spot when a thunderbolt struck on him while he was working in his field during the storm.

Power supply to different parts of the district was suspended.

Sushanta Roy, additional general manager of Bagerhat Palli Bidyut, said, "Some electric poles were uprooted while a number of electric wires snapped during the storm, leaving four lakh customers of Palli Bidyut and West Zone Power Distribution Company without power."

The workers of the Power Division were working to restore the power supply.

Deputy Commissioner Khalid said UNOs have been asked to prepare a list of damages.