3 killed as nor’wester lashes northern districts

A nor’wester coupled with hailstorm and thundershower hit Dinajpur, Joypurhat, Thakurgaon and Nilphamari Friday midnight, leaving three people dead and destroying houses and trees.

Sanjay Kumar Mandal, 28, was killed as a tree fell on him at Joypurhat sadar upazila as the storm started around 9:30pm.

Shafiqul Islam, Deputy Director of Joypurhat Department of Agricultural Extension said Boro paddy, jute, corn, banana on 12,700 hectares of land in the district during the two hour long storm.

A storm swept over Thakurgaon around 12:10 am with heavy rain, hailstorm and lasted for around 40 minutes.

Hundreds of trees including a century old Pakur tree at Thakurgaon Government Boys’ School premises were uprooted during storm across the city and adjacent villages.

Roads were blocked by broken tree branches while tin roofs of many houses were seen blown away in the district.

Electricity supply was disrupted in many areas though it was restored in parts of the Thakurgaon city after Friday noon, said the locals.

Abu Hossain Deputy Director of Department of Agricultural Extension said corn, Boro paddy were damaged along with mango and litchi trees during the storm accompanied by hailstorm.

“Our officers are trying to estimate the extent of damages from the field,” he said.

In Nilphamari a storm started around 1 am and lasted for over 10 minutes, damaging hundreds of houses and Boro paddy.

Golam Mostafa, principal of Nilphamari Model College, said the storm blew away the tin roof of a building and smashed the upper part of the main gate of the college.

Deputy Commissioner Khandakar Yasir Arefin said he has been informed about the losses and will take necessary steps after visiting the affected areas.

Two people were killed and another was injured as lightning struck Saturday at different places in Khansama in Dinajpur.

The deceased were identified as Shah Alam, 45, from Pukurpara village in Bher Bheri union and Mazeda Begum, 40, wife of Fazlul Haque from Subarnakhuli Dangapara village.

Sheikh Kamal Md Hossain, In-charge of Khansama police station, said Shah Alam died along with his two cows by the lightning strike while milking them at his yard around 9:30 am. His wife sustained injuries from the lightning and was admitted to a local hospital.

Meanwhile, Mazeda died as she was struck by lightning while working in the yard of her house, he said.

Talha Bin Jashim, senior station officer of Dinajpur Fire Service and Civil Defence said, “Fire tenders have cleared uprooted trees from several roads in Khansama upazila and Birganj upazila since morning to allow transport movement. The trees fell down when a nor’wester swept over the area from 3:00am to 7:00am on Saturday.”