11 killed as nor’westers batter 6 dists

At least 11 people died and many others injured as violent nor'westers lashed Jhalakathi, Patuakhali, Pirojpur, Khulna, Bagerhat, and Netrokona districts yesterday.

As many as 200 houses were damaged, 10 cows were struck dead by lightning, and electric transmission lines snapped and trees were uprooted, resulting in the disruption of road communication in many places, according to police and local administration.

Nor'wester also known as "Kalbaisakhi" is a seasonal thunderstorm accompanied by strong winds and heavy downpours.

In Jhalakathi, at least three people, including a schoolgirl, died after being struck by lightning during a thunderstorm, said Afrujul Haque Tutul, superintendent of police.

They are Helena Begum, 40, of Uttar Talgachiya village of Kathalia upazila, Minara Begum, 35, of Sheikherhaat village, and Mahia Akter Esana, 11, of Ponabaliya village of Sadar upazila.

Mahia was a sixth-grader at a local high school, said locals and police.

The victims went out of their homes when the storm began to bring back their cattle from nearby fields when lightning struck them, the police official added.

In Patuakhali, at least three more people died and a fisherman went missing.

Besides, the storm damaged over 100 houses and accompanying lightning strikes killed 10 cows.

The deceased are Ratul Sikder, 15, of Nazirpur village; Safia Begum, 80, of Char Algi village; and Ibrahim Faraji, 43, of Char Wadel village of Bauphal upazila.

Ratul was struck by lightning, and Safia died after a tree fell on her, said Bashir Gazi, Bauphal upazila nirbahi officer (UNO).

Ibrahim, who was fishing on Tetulia river, went missing when the storm began around 3:30pm. Later in the evening, his body was recovered from the river, said Sonit Kumar Gayen, officer-in-charge (OC) of Bauphal Police Station.

Another fisherman went missing and could not be traced till the filing of the report.

In Pirojpur, at least two people were killed and 15 others injured, while around 100 houses were destroyed during a storm in Sadar upazila.

One of the deceased Rubi Begum, 22, of the upazila's Dakkhin Marichal village, was a mother of two.

"We were inside our tin-shed house when the storm started around 10:00am. A few moments later, a large tree fell through the house and crushed my daughter," said Rubi's father Abdul Jabber Kazi.

"We immediately took her to a hospital, where the doctors declared her dead," said Jabbar.

Another man, Anil Pal, 83, of Ranipur village in Sadar upazila, fell into a canal during strong stormy winds.

After the storm passed, his body was recovered from the canal, said Ajmir Hossain Majhi, chairman of Shariktala Dumuritla Union Parishad.

In Khulna, a man was killed after being hit by lightning in Dumuria upazila.

Obaidullah Ghazi, 35, from Komalpur village, went to his fish enclosure during a storm around 9:30am to fetch grass when he was struck by lightning and killed on the spot, said Sukanta Kumar Saha, officer-in-charge of Dumuria Police Station.

In Bagerhat, another man was struck by lightning in Kachua upazila.

Ariful Islam, 35, of Char Sonapur village, went to a nearby field to bring back cattle when he was struck.

He died on the spot, said Mohsin Hossain, OC of Kachua Police Station.

In Netrokona, lightning struck dead another farmer in Khaliajuri upazila.

Shaheed Miah, 50, a resident of Jagannathpur village, was working in the field during the storm when the lightning struck, killing him on the spot, said Khokon Kumar Saha, OC of Khaliajuri Police Station.

[Our correspondents from Pirojpur, Patuakhali, Barishal, Khulna, Bagerhat, and Mymensingh contributed to the report.]