A sudden storm has caused extensive damage in Baliadangi Upazila, Thakurgaon. The storm destroyed hundreds of houses. The storm uprooted more than 40 electricity poles. A woman died after being trapped in the storm which lasted for 10–12 minutes. Apart from this, there have been reports of the deaths of a woman and a child drowning in the accumulated water due to panic.
Local residents said that a sudden storm started with rain in Baliadangi upazila around five o’clock today. 20 villages in Barabari, Paria, Duosuo and Amjankhor Unions of the upazila have suffered heavy damage due to the storm. The storm has destroyed more than three hundred houses. The storm not only uprooted trees but also severely damaged the crops.
Baliadangi Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Afchana Kauchar said that after visiting the affected area, they are working on damage assessment.
Upazila Agriculture Officer Sajjad Hossain said that the sudden storm caused extensive damage to rice, maize, chillies and mango-litchi. Currently, we cannot determine the extent of the damage. The assistant agricultural officers are conducting field investigations to assess the damage.
According to local sources, during the storm, the shed of the house of Farida Begum (40), wife of Painul Islam of Shaldanga village in Paria union of the upazila, collapsed. The relatives later rescued him and took him to a local hospital where doctors declared him dead. Zaheda Begum (50), wife of Dabirul Islam of the same village, fell ill and died due to fear of the storm, according to local residents.
Aside from this, Nazmul Islam is the two-and-a-half-year-old son of Lalapur Nayapara village in Duosuo Union. Naim drowned in the accumulated storm water. The concerned union’s chairman, Paris, confirmed the death at first sight.
Chairman of Baliadangi Upazila Parishad Safikul Islam said that 12 villages including Tilkara, Shaldanga, Bangavita, Lohara, and Bamunia of Paria Union were affected by the storm; eight villages, including Belhara, Belbari, Boter Hat, Haripur, of Barabari Union, have been affected. Most of the mud houses had their tin sheds blown away by the wind. Some houses sustained damage from falling trees. The big trees on the side of the road were broken and traffic was stopped. The storm cut off power in some areas.
Fazlur Rahman, head teacher of Lohagara High School, said that the tin canopy of their school’s hall flew off and fell on the field in the storm. A tree fell on the electricity pole at the school’s entrance.
Shahidul Islam of Shaldanga village said that the storm started suddenly in the morning. The storm swept away the tin sheds from the houses. Nearby trees have collapsed.
The storm uprooted more than 40 electricity poles, according to Kamrul Islam, assistant general manager of the Rural Electricity Association’s Baliadangi regional office. Apart from this, trees have fallen on power lines in many places. Their employees are working at the field level to restore the power supply.