10 die as storms, rains whip country

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More than four hundred houses collapsed under the impact of the tornado that swept over Bhola district Monday. — Focus Bangla photo

Storms, electrocution and home or mud collapse coupled with heavy rains have left at least 10 people dead and dozens injured as the squally winds started lashing the country Monday morning, reports bdnews24.com.
The squally winds were set off by the well-marked low that remained practically stationary over Dhaka and Comilla regions and weakened into a low pressure at about 12:00 pm Tuesday.
According to the weather office, heavy rains under the impact of the low Tuesday battered the country with gusty winds whipping the coastal belts and the mid-region.
Many roads in the port city of Chittagong went under knee- to waist-deep water, throwing traffic into disarray.
Passenger launch services on the southern river routes have remained suspended.
The seaports have been asked to keep local cautionary signal no-3 hoisted, which means the fishing trawlers will have to stay close to the shore for safety.
Meteorologist Ayesha Khatun told the news agency the three maritime ports of Chittagong, Cox's Bazaar and Mongla had been asked to continue to hoist the cautionary signal no-3 and the internal river ports to show riverine cautionary signal no-2.
Most places of Dhaka, Barisal, Chittagong and Sylhet divisions and some places of Rajshahi and Khulna divisions might experience light to moderate rainfall coupled with gusty or squally winds.
The capital city experienced intermittent rains since Monday morning. The sun was not up until midday.
However, two children and their mother died after a huge chunk of mud from a hill buried them at Betbunia in the hilly district of Rangamati.
Two others of the same family were injured.
A 25-year-old man died at Tajmuddin Upazila in Bhola district after a tornado tore through several villages, Upazila Nirbahi officer Shukkur Ali told the news agency. The man, Lokman Mia, died after his home collapsed on him during the violent storm, he said.
In Munshiganj, 30-year-old Manik Sheikh died after a tree fell on his thatched home during a sudden storm.
A three-year-old boy died early Tuesday similarly after his home collapsed on him at Hatia Upazila in Noakhali district.
Villagers found the body of a fisherman who had gone missing Monday during fishing along with another fisherman at Tetulia river at Baufal in Patuakhali.
Separately, a tornado hit Bagerhat late Monday, leaving two men dead, said Bagerhat Sadar police superintendent Ashok Ghosh.
Mohammad Forhad (20) was electrocuted after a storm left an electric wire on the ground in Chandgaon area in Chittagong city.
Meanwhile, the launch that sank in the river Meghna Monday evening was retrieved at midday but no bodies were found.
ML Bhabanipur-1 sank at around 8:00pm after a travel of one hour on way to Char Alexander in Luxmipur from the southern district of Bhola against a warning of rough weather.