Two killed as storms lash country
Two people were killed in thunderstorms that lashed districts across the country over the last two days and caused considerable damage to households and crops at some places.
A fisherman was killed in Pathorghata upazila of Barguna district yesterday morning while a college student died by lightning strike at Vatapara village under Boalmai upazila in Faridpur Wednesday afternoon.
The deceased were 22-year-old Md Jamal Hossain, son of Habibur Rahman of Choto Tengra village, and 18-year-old Sazedul Islam alias Sajib, son of Rustom Sheikh of Vatapara village.
A lightning struck Sazedul when he was playing near their house around 4:30pm. He was rushed to Baolmari Upazila Health Complex where attending doctors declared him dead, reports our Faridpur correspondent quoting a relative of the deceased.
Golam Mostafa Chowdhury, president of Barguna trawler owners association, said Jamal was sleeping in a trawler anchored on the Balewshar River when they fell into the river as the trawler turned over. Locals rescued him and sent to Pathorghata Upazila Health Complex where duty doctor Anwar Ullah referred Jamal to Barisha Sher-E-Bangla Medical College Hospital. But he died on the way around 8:00pm, reports our Patuakhali correspondent quoting Mostafa.
Thunderstorm also caused extensive damage in Pathorghata upazila, where the wind blew at a speed of 55km to 60km per hour. Over 100 houses were damaged, many trees and a number of electric poles fell in different areas of the upazila, suspending normal life. Local Met office recorded 24.3mm rain from morning till afternoon yesterday.
Thunderstorms also battered a few unions of Tangail district's Buhapur and Kalihati upazilas from Wednesday afternoon to yesterday morning.
A 33-KV power distribution line was severed in Kalihati's Nagarbari area when trees fell on it, suspending electricity supply to three upazilas including Bhuapur, reports our Tangail correspondent.
Locals said hailstorm damaged maize and Boro paddy crops at Gabsara, Alaya and Narandia unions. Besides, hundreds of tin-shed houses were flattened by the storm.
Bhuapur UNO Jhoton Chanda said the hailstorm did extensive damage to crops and households.
Although rain in the last three days disrupted the normal life in Rajshahi, it came as a blessing for most of the farmers in the northern district, reports our Rajshahi correspondent.
Local Met office recorded 25.2mm rainfall in last three days and most growers of mango and potato expressed their happiness as they said it would help their crops grow well.
Nurul Islam, who cultivated potato on 200 bighas of land in Tanore upazila, said rain would save him irrigation cost for one time.
SM Mostafizur Rahman, Rajshahi regional additional director of the Department of Agricultural Extension, said it would also benefit the mango growers.
Contacted, duty forecasting officer from the Met office, said the situation will improve from today.
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