3 killed, 250 hurt as storm lashes several districts

A tin-roofed house lies mangled at Sundarganj upazila of Gaibandha district as storm lashed the upazila on Wednesday night.Photo: STAR

Three people were killed and at least 250 others injured as storm lashed Netrakona, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat and Rangpur districts on Wednesday night.
Our Netrakona correspondent reported storm swept 30 villages of Kalmakanda, Barhatta, Mohongonj and Khaliajuri upazilas of the district, killing a mother and her son killed and injuring at least 30 others.
The dead were identified as Jaheda Begum, 60, and her son Nayan Mia, 38, of Manderbari village in Mohongonj upazila. Police said their house became electrified by a snapped live wire that fell on the roof of their house during the storm and they were electrocuted.
At least 600 thatched and tin-roofed houses in the four upazilas were damaged by the storm. District administration sources said about 200 houses in Khaliajuri upazila, 150 houses in Mohonganj upazila, 175 houses in Kalmakanda upazila and about 75 houses in Barhatta upazila were damaged.
The twister uprooted several thousand trees and many electric poles. Many shops at Lepsia Bazar in Khaliajuri, at Chasrakhali Bazar in Mohonganj, at Borkhapon Bazar in Kalmakanda and at Athitpur Bazar in Barhatta upazila were damaged by the storm.
UNO of Khaliajuri upazila Mohammad Shawkat Ali, UNO of Kalmakanda Mohammad Abdullah, upazila chairman of Mohonganj Shahid Iqbal and UNO of Barhatta Mohammad Nasiruddin visited the affected villages in their respective areas.
The injured were admitted to the upazila health complexes and Mymensingh Medical College Hospital.
Of the injured, Abeda Khatun, Sultan Mia of Mohongonj upazila and Abdul Mannan, Chikon Mia and Keramot Ali of Khaliajuri upazila were sent to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital. Others injured were admitted in to local health complexes.
In Gaibandha, one person was killed and at least 200 others were injured as storm lashed 35 villages in Sunderganj and Gaibandha sader upazilas at around 10:00pm, reports our correspondent.
The dead was identified as Alam Mis, 24, a village police. He died as big tree collapsed on him at Dhamapur Bazar in Sadar upazila.
The storm razed over 4,500 thatched and tin-roofed houses were razed to the ground in the upazilas. Tinned roofs of over 50 educational institutes were also blown away.
At least 400 poultry birds died as five poultry farms were damaged damaging at Kabiler Bazaar in Sader upazila.
Many electric poles were uprooted, plunging the affected villages in darkness. Power supply could not restored in the at the villages as of 6:00pm yesterday.
District relief and rehabilitation office is preparing a list of the affected people, said Shahidul Islam, deputy commissioner, Gaibandha.
Our Lalmonirhat correspondent adds: storm hit 20 villages at Sadar, Aditmari, Kaliganj and Hatibandha upazilas on Wednesday night, leaving at least 35 people injured.
Of the injured, four people were Rangpur Medical College Hospital from Hatibandha upazila health complex as their condition deteriorated.
The worst affected villages are Gokunda, Kalmati, Harati, Panchogram of Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila; Polashi, Namuri, Mohishkhocha, Balapara, Vadai of Aditmari upazila; Votmari, Jamirbari, Chalbala, Chaklarhat, Rudreshwar village of Kaliganj upazila; and Dawabari, Goddimari, Sindurna, Dowani, Patikapara, Paruliya of Hatibandha upazila.
Upazila administration sources said at least 2,500 houses were damaged at the storm-hit 20 villages. Around 700 big trees were uprooted and boro paddy and maize on about 100 bighas of land were damaged.
In Rangpur, At least 500 thatched and tin-roofed houses at ten villages in Pirgachha upazila were damaged and a good number of trees uprooted by a storm on Wednesday night.
Boro paddy, vegetables and maize on around 100 acres of land were also damaged damaged as a storm hit ten villages of two unions under Pirgachha.
The storm hit villages are Dadan, Pathak Shikar, Kandi Kabilapara, Dowani, Mazhbari, Satantara, Taluk Kandi, Monirampur, Tayany Moniram and Chowdhurany village.
On Tuesday morning, a violent storm swept over the upazilas. Mohir Ali, 48, of Gobordhan village in Aditmari upazila said his house was damaged by the storm on Tuesday morning but he didn't get any help from the government until yesterday.