Rescuers and officials confirmed 22 more deaths in the Nor’wester that lashed over places in the country Saturday evening, increasing the death toll to 31.
The death toll had been increasing till filing of this report Sunday evening. The number was nine Saturday night, immediately after the north-western districts of the country experienced the seasonal storm.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department officials in Dhaka said nor’wester also lashed over many Southern and southwestern districts including Jessore, Kushtia, Khulna, Barisal, Chittagong and Cox’s Bazaar Sunday evening.
The casualty or damages could not be known immediately.
Meteorologist Abdur Rahman said there was possibility of nor’wester in different places of the country on Monday too.
The number of deaths of Saturday’s nor’wester now stands at 16 in Bogra, five in Rajshahi, three in Dhaka, two in Sirajganj and one each in Naogaon, Chapainawabganj, Natore, Pabna and Jamalpur, according to reports received from the districts.
Most of the dead victims of collapsed walls, falling trees, boat capsize, lightning and electrocution.
Besides, over 100 people were injured while thousands of mud houses were damaged in the districts.
The people of the affected areas had to suffer for power outage as the authorities took 20 hours at some places to restore power supply, officials said.
The department of agricultural extension officials said they were yet to calculate the loss of standing crops, including boro plants, vegetables and fruits.
DAE field service wing director Rafiqul Hasan, however, told New Age that the rain during the nor’wester would help the standing crops.
Many areas of Dhaka, Rangpur, Rajshahi, Khulna and Barisal division went into dark immediate after the Nor’wester and power distribution companies took six to 12 hours to restore electricity supply to major affected areas, while other areas suffered till Sunday noon, officials said.
People in Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions were the worst victims as the most of the areas went out of power for a few hours, a Power Development Board Official said.
He said that authorities concerned shut down a number of power plants as the demand for electricity abruptly dropped to about 2,000MW immediate after the Nor’wester hit Saturday evening.
Dhaka Power Distribution Company director Md Ramiz Uddin Sarker said that a 132 kV transmission line tripped immediately after the Nor’wester hit and they had restored the power supply in most of DPDC’s coverage areas by Sunday morning, although a few areas suffered until afternoon.
West Zone Power Distribution Company officials said that the authorities concerned took about 20 hours to restore all the power distribution feeders.
New Age correspondent in Bogra, quoting the local administration officials, reports, at least 16 died, 85 were injured and hundreds of houses were damaged in the district during the nor’wester.
The dead are Ajiron Bibi, 40, and six-month-old Mila of Boubazaar, Md Rajab, 15 of Shahardighi and Palash, 18, of Madhyapalsha and Golapi Begum of Chandpara of Bogra town, Abdul Mannan, 35, of Phulcoat village, Rabeya Beowa, 65, of Khasia village and Payel Buda, 16, of Noymile area under Shahjahanpur upazila, Sujon Mia, 30, of Hatphulbari and Shanta Begum, 50, of Narchi under Sariyakandi upazila, Azizul, 19, and Ismail Hossain, 38, of village Hartala under Kahalu, Afzal Hossain, 60, of Jorshimul under Dhunot, Firoza Beowa, 65 of Lohagara under Sonatala and Samia Begum, 35 of Telihata under Gabtoli.
Besides, Mojam Akanda, 45 died and two remained missing as an engine boat capsized in the Jamuna at Char Majhira under Sariakandi in the district.
In Dhaka city, Satata Enterprise owner Mizanur Rahman, 39, and worker Iqbal Hossain, 20, died at Bijoy Sarani as they were electrocuted when they were repairing a damaged bill board after the nor’wester, Kafrul police station sub-inspector Sohel Rana said.
Boatman Hanif Sheikh, 45, of Hoglabunia under Nazirpur in Pirojpur died in river Buriganga near Sadarghat under Keraniganj in Dhaka as he was hit by two launches during the nor’wester.
In Chapainawabganj town, Md Abdullah, 20, of Nayansuka area was killed as a tree broke and fell on him.
The five people who were killed in the nor’wester in Rajshahi include Jahanara Begum, 60, of Pakuria and Imajuddin, 45, of Keshobpur under Bagha upazila, Abul Hossain, 45, of Borogachhi under Poba upazila, Monoara Begum, 40 of Char Asardia under Godagari and an unidentified woman, 65 at Rajshahi University campus in the city, New Age correspondent in Rajshahi reported.
In Naogaon, Shahnaj Begum, 35, of village Mahanagar under Manda died as the wall of her house collapsed on her during the nor’wester, Manda police officer-in-charge Mozaffor Hossain told New Age.
New Age correspondent in Sirajganj reported, Mojammel Huq, 55, of Pirgachha under Kazipur died in a trawler capsize in Jamuna while Fazlar Rahman, 45, of Durgapur under Ullapara died as a tree broke and fell on him near his house.
In Natore, Khokon Mia, 37, of Khurjitpur under Gurudaspur upazila died as a tree fell on him.
Tea stall owner Jamuddin, 80, died as a tree fell on him at Chandmari area of Pabna town.
In Jamalpur, Zahura Khatun, 56, of village Barul under Islampur upazila died, while three others remained missing after a boat capsized in the Jamuna at Kulkandi hardpoint of the upazila during the nor’wester. At least 8,000 houses and 50 educational institutions were damaged and scores of trees uprooted, New Age correspondent in Jamalpur reported.
Source: New Age
