Nor’wester hits Northern region

After the sudden heat waves of the past few weeks, nor’wester hit several parts of Northern region Tuesday night.

Hundreds of houses damaged, trees and electric polls were uprooted in eight upazilas of Rangpur, local sources said.

Acres of croplands including paddy, maize and mango orchards have been affected with the hailstorm leaving at least thirty five people injured at different places of the district.

Rangpur Met Office officer-in-charge AKM Kamrul Hasan said the speed of wind was about 75 kilometre per hour. Seven millimeter rainfall was recorded. The hour long storm began 9 pm and ended 9.55 pm.

Chairman, Boroalampur under Sadar upazila, Hafizur Rhaman said around fifty houses were damaged amid the storm in his union. Trees and electric polls have also been uprooted.

Meanwhile, the nor’wester hit many villages in Kawnia, Badarganj, Mithapukur and Gongachara upazilas of the district and damaged hundreds houses, croplands and mango orchards.

Crop lands were damaged in many villages of Taragaanj and Kawnia upazila.

Mostafizur Rhaman, a mango farmer at Moyenpur village under Mithapukur upazila said he has mango trees on two acres of lands. The mango trees have been affected amid the wind and hailstorm.

Five villages under Mornea union of Gongachara union have been worst affected. Many of the families are passing their days under the open sky as their houses were blown away and damaged.

Salam Miah and Abeda Begum at Hazipara village of the union said, their two tin-shed houses were blown away.

Deputy Director, DAE Rangpur, Obaidur Rhaman said the hailstorm damaged croplands and mango orchards in the district.