Tornado lashes Rangamati

An indigenous woman died and around 50 others including a Buddhist monk were injured, some of them seriously, as a tornado lashed different villages in the remote Sajek union under Baghaichhari upazila of the district Tuesday night.
Around 150 tin- shed and thatched houses were also damaged during the storm.
Most of the houses, which are still under construction after last month's violence at Gongaram Mukh of Baghaihat, were destroyed as strong wind blew away corrugated iron sheets from the rooftops, said affected villagers.
Vast tracts of orchards at different hilly areas in the district were also destroyed, sources said.
Mithur Mukhi Chakma, 46, wife of late Barun Bikash Chakma of Kajatuli village in Sajek union died on the spot as a tree fell on her house.
Mithur's daughter in-law Shanti Ranjan Chakma, 26, and Mukta Bikash Chakma, 7, son of Rango Chakma of the same village were also injured critically in the incident. They were admitted to upazila health complex.
The names of the other injured could not be known immediately.
“As far as I know, a woman died and at least 50 people were injured as a tornado swept over many villages last night. Over 150 houses were destroyed completely,” Sudarshan Chakma, chairman of Baghaichhari upazila, told The Daily Star yesterday.
“Affected villagers told me over phone that the tornado hit several villages,” he said adding that many orchards were damaged.
“We sent a police team to the affected areas to assess the damage done by the storm. Necessary steps will be taken on the basis of the report,” said Sourendra Nath Chakrabarty, deputy commissioner of Rangamati.