Around hundreds of houses were damaged while a number of trees were uprooted during a nor’wester in Faridpur district early Thursday (March 28, 2024). Twenty villages under Pachuria and Bana unions in Alfadanga upazila of the district were battered by the storm. Residents of the 20 villages – Sirgram, Garania, Pakuria, Taboni, Tonapara, Sialdi Charpara, Joydebpur, Aushir haat, Kutharakandi, Majpara, Arpara in Bana union; Jugibarat, Bhatpara, Chandra, Pachuria, Deuli, Charnarandia, Dhuljuri and Charbhatpara in Pachuria union – remained in darkness as many electric wires were also snapped during the storm. A vast track of cropslands were also damaged while trees were uprooted, halting road communications in different parts of the upazila. Read more: Rains likely in parts of Dhaka, 7 other divisions AKM Zahidul Hasan Zahid, chairman of Alfadanga upazila, said the storm started sweeping through the upazila around 1 am. Many people have taken shelter under the open sky as their thatched houses were blown away during the storm. Additional General Manager of Alfadanga Sub-zonal officer of Palli Bidyut Samity, said some electric poles were uprooted while some wires got snapped, disrupting power connection. Work is going on to resume power supply, he said. Quamrul Ahsan Talukdar, deputy commissioner of Faridpur, said directives have been given to provide all-out support to those affected in the storm. Read more: Women's perspectives are vital in climate action: Environment Minister

A light to moderate rain or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely to occur at one or two places over Dhaka, Mymensingh and Sylhet divisions, and the regions of Cumilla, Jashore and Kushtia in the next 24 hours from 6pm on Tuesday. Md Shahinur Alam, a meteorologist of the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), told UNB on Tuesday night.  A nor'wester is also likely to lash parts of Bangladesh with the speed of 60 to 80 kilometer per hour within the time, the meteorologist said. Day temperature may fall slightly and night temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country, he said.  On the other hand, the Agriculture Ministry in a media release said the light to moderate rain is likely to occur in all districts from March 17- 22. In the release Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) provided some instructions for farmers. The instructions includes refraining from using sewerage, fertilizers and insecticides during the period, harvesting the ripped crops soon and reserving in dry spaces among others.  After the gusty rain, the farmers are asked to use fertilizers and insecticides as per the instructions. A heatwave is sweeping over the parts of the country for the last a few days.  Nor'wester or the Kalbaishakhi occurs in India and Bangladesh, often with violent hurricane-speed winds and the pre-monsoon nor'wester is caused by heavy convection for excessive heat. Read more: Nor'wester coming, likely to hit five divisions Another danger that has come to the fore in recent years is lightning accompanying the nor'westers, that have taken scores of lives in recent years. In 2016, 42 people were killed in a single day of nor'westers across the country.

Two people were killed and a child was injured in separate incidents in Bogura as nor’westers lashed different parts of the country on Saturday morning. The deaths were reported from Kahaloo and Shajahanpur upazilas of the district. In Kahaloo, a day laborer was killed when a wall collapsed on him during the storm in Maspara area soon after dawn, said Mohammad Ali, sub-inspector (SI)of Shahjahanpur police station. Read: Journey home ends in tragedy: Mother killed, son hurt in Turag road accident The deceased was identified as Shaheen, 45, son of late Gulzar of Jumarbari village of Saghata upazila of Gaibandha district. Another wall collapse in Kalai South Naodapara during the same nor'wester injured a seven-year-old boy. In Shajahanpur, a 50-year-old man was killed in Brikustia village under a falling tree. Abdul Halim, son of Anshar Ali of Brikushtia village of the upazila, used to work as a gardener in Bogura Cantonment. Sources said a large tree fell on Abdul Halim's house in the storm Saturday morning. A branch of a tree collapsed on Halim when he went to cut the branches of the tree, leaving him seriously injured. Read: 12 killed in Gaibandha, Faridpur as nor’wester lashes country He was taken to Bogura Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital where he died at noon, SI Mohammad Ali confirmed. Besides, a vast tract of ready-to-harvest paddy crops was damaged while electric poles were uprooted during the nor’wester, said Yusuf Rana Mandal, additional director of Bogura Agricultural Extension Department. The local Met office recorded 36 mm of rain in an hour.  

A sand-carrying bulkhead capsized in the Meghna river while another bulkhead hit three makeshift shops on the Meghna River bank during a storm in Bhola Saturday morning. Fortunately no one was injured during the incidents, said Shahjalal Badsha, Officer-in-Charge of Elish river police station in Bhola. Also read: 2 farmers go missing as trawler sinks in Padma According to locals, the bulkhead vessel named MV Tamim Shamim sank near Tulatali Terminal when a nor’wester hit the area around 7:30 am. Six labourers of the vessel were rescued by local people. Meanwhile, another bulkhead vessel named MV Hridoy anchored near Mach Ghat area hit a tea stall and two fish selling shops, leaving them completely damaged during the storm , said OC Shahjalal Badsha. Also read: Speedboat sinks in Bay: Another body recovered, 2 still missing

Nor’westers may sweep over several districts of the country in the next 24 hours, said the weather office on Friday. Riverine ports of the country are asked to hoist local cautionary signal No 2. Rain or thunder showers with intense lightning flashes and temporary gusty or squally wind is likely to occur at a few places over Mymensingh & Sylhet divisions and at one or two places over Rajshahi, Rangpur, Dhaka and Khulna divisions and the region of Cumilla, according to Met office bulletin. Read: Khalid urges passengers to cross river through Paturia instead of Shimulia Around 60-80km/hr squally wind may sweep over Rangpur, Dinajpur, Rajshahi, Pabna, Bogura, Tangail, Dhaka, Mymensingh and Sylhet, said AKM Nazmul Hoque, a meteorologist at the Bangladesh Meteorological Department. Besides, the storm with 45-60km/hr squally wind is about to hit Jashore, Kushtia, Faridpur, Madaripur, Khulna, Barishal and Cumilla, he added. Weather may remain mainly dry with temporary partly cloudy sky elsewhere over the country. Generally, heatwaves lead to nor’westers, thunderstorms, and rains, said the meteorologist Meanwhile, a mild heat wave is sweeping over Khulna division and the districts of Tangail, Gopalgonj, Faridpur, Madaripur, Rangamati, Rajshahi and Pabna and it may continue, reads the bulletin. Read: Rain's coming, says weatherman Day and night temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country, it added. The highest temperature on Friday was recorded at 37.8 degrees Celsius in Jashore, while the minimum temperature was 23.4 degrees at Tetulia in Rangpur division, according to the bulletin. The trough of westerly low lies over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and adjoining area. Seasonal low lies over South Bay.

An afternoon nor’wester swept the capital city on Friday compounding sufferings for the Eid shoppers. The Met Office recorded 33.40mm of rainfall between 3.00pm and 4.30pm in Dhaka city. Till 6pm, 37mm rainfall was recorded in the capital.   The windspeed was recorded at 83km per hour in the capital during the nor'wester. Also read: Nor’wester kills 5 in four districts

Five people were killed in separate incidents as a nor’wester swept over different parts of the country on Wednesday. The deaths were reported from Barishal, Chattogram, Bogura and Manikganj districts. Also read:Nor'wester coming, likely to hit five divisions In Barishal, a woman and her father-in-law were killed when a wall of their house collapsed on them during strom in Mehendiganj upazila in the afternoon, said Shafiqul Islam, officer-in-charge (OC) of Mehendiganj police station.       The deceased were identified as Rustam Ali Hawladar, 75, and Joynab Bibi, 35, of Gaguria village of the upazila. Over fifteen houses in Gaguria village were destroyed in the storm. In Chattogram, a 40-year-old woman was killed in Fatikchhari upazila when a tree collapsed on her during  the nor’wester in the morning. The deceased was identified as Rina Akter, wife of Shah Alam of the upazila. Mohammad Didarul Alam, chairman of Kanchannagar union of the upazila, said a tree collapsed on Rina when she went out of  home to bring her cattle during the storm around 9 am, leaving her injured. Later, she was taken to Fatikchhari Upazila Health Complex where doctors declared him dead. Also read: Nor’wester kills one, injures 7 in Chuadanga Besides, a vast track of standing crops was damaged while electric poles were uprooted during the nor’wester. In Bogura, a 55-year-old man was killed when a branch of a tree fell on him during storm at Bhatgram in Nandigram upazila of the district around 4 am. The deceased was identified as Rezaul Karim Raju, son of Ishar Uddin. In Manikganj, a housewife was killed as a thunderbolt struck her while she was working in a field during nor’wester at Khalsi union in Doulatpur upazila , said Doulatpur Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Imrul Hasan. The deceased was identified as Firoza Begum, of Rouha village of the upazila.

A nor’wester wrought havoc in Sunamganj district on Friday night, damaging several houses and agricultural fields. Fortunately, no casualties were reported in the nor'wester that lashed the district around 10pm. The impact of the storm was severely felt in Uttar Borodol and Sadar unions of the district's Tahirpur upazila, officials said on Saturday. Also read: Nor’wester kills one, injures 7 in Chuadanga Several trees were uprooted and tin sheds of many houses in the affected areas were carried aloft in the whirlwind that lasted for half an hour, according to the officials. Md. Masuk Mia, chairman of Uttar Borodol Union Parishad, said that the nor’wester damaged 80-90 houses in the union. Mohammad Golam Morshed, Tahirpur upazila director of Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board, said that "efforts are on to restore power supply in the upazila as many electric poles have been damaged in the nor’wester". Also read: Nor'wester coming, likely to hit five divisions

A 47-year-old woman was killed and seven others were injured during a nor'wester in Chuadanga district on Thursday night, officials said. The deceased was identified as Momena Khatun, wife of Aminul Islam of Kurulgachi village in Damurhuda upazila. The injured have been identified as Aminul Islam, 48, Momena’s husband, Saidul Islam, 48, Yusuf Ali, 38, Abu Bakkar, 40, Akkas, 33, and Naim, 15, all residents of Rudranagar in Damurhuda, and Full Siratul Khatun, 42, of Shorabaria village in Sadar upazila. Also read: Nor'wester coming, likely to hit five divisions The injured are being treated at Chuadanga Sadar Hospital. “The condition of one of the seven injured is critical,” said Hasnat Parvej Shubho, a hospital doctor. Momena died on the spot when a tree fell on the tin-shed roof of their house during the storm, said AHM Lutful Kabir, officer-in-charge of Darshana police station. Some of the others sustained injuries when the wall of a shop where they took shelter in the School Para area of Rudranagar village during the storm caved in on them, he said. Also read: Unexpected nor'wester showers Dhaka Ful Siratul sustained injuries when a branch of a tree fell on her head on the terrace of her house during the storm, said the OC. “The wind speed was recorded at 64 kilometres per hour and the rainfall was recorded at 10mm,” said Samadul Haque, in-charge of the Chuadanga observatory of Bangladesh Meteorological Department.

Five people, including a woman and her two children, were killed during a Nor'wester storm in Sunamganj early Thursday. The deceased were identified as Moushumi Begum, 35, her daughter Mahima Begum, 4, and her one-year-old son Hossain Ahmed, of Jagannathpur upazila; Mukul Khan, 50, and his son Masud Khan, 7, of Shalla upazila. Also read: Government to build lightning resistant shelters in 23 districts including Haor areas In Jagannathpur, Moushumi and her two children were crushed under two uprooted trees as the trees fell on their house around 5am due to the storm. Later, they were rushed to Upazila Health Complex where the doctor declared the trio dead, said Mizanur Rahman, officer-in-charge (OC) of Jagannathpur police station. The bodies were sent to Sunamganj Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy, he added. Also read: 2,800 lost lives in lightning strikes in 10 years: Dr Enamur Meanwhile, in Shalla upazila, a streak of lightning struck Mukul, his son Masud, Rimon, 11, and his brother-in-law's son Tanvir Hossain, 7, while they were working in a wetland in Nasirpur Village around 7am, leaving Mukul and Masud dead on spot. Rimon and Tanvir were sent to Ajmiriganj Upazila Health Complex in Habiganj for treatment, said Aminul Islam, officer-in-charge (OC) of Shalla police station.