Nor'wester causes power outage across country

Electricity supply across the country was severely disrupted, as several power plants tripped, electricity poles collapsed and wire snapped in many areas due to a strong nor'wester on Sunday evening.

The storm coupled with heavy rain took at least three lives in Dhaka while they were crossing the streets.

The causalities might increase, as a number of heavy trees and electricity poles fell across the country during the nor'wester, also known as 'Kalboishakhi', having a speed of up to 74.01 kilometer per hour (kmph).

Mili D' Costa, aged around 62 and a resident of Monipuripara, was killed on lake road near the Parliament house, as a tree fell on her.

Mohammad Hanif (50), a tea vendor, was hit by a brick from an under-construction building at Paltan. He was also killed on the spot, said Bacchu Mia, an on-duty police officer at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).

Major part of the capital Dhaka, port-city Chattogram, Sylhet, Mymensingh and Cumilla were the worst affected, said a senior official of the state-owned Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB).

At least two power plants - 360-megawatts (MW) Haripur and a 150-MW unit of Ashuganj power plant - tripped during the storm, he added.

Main electricity gridlines of Dhanmondi, Mogbazar, Matuail and Lalbag went out of operation during the storm. Ulon electricity substation was also affected during the storm, said a senior official of the Dhaka Power Distribution Company Ltd (DPDC).

In many areas a significant number of trees and electricity poles fell, snapping electricity supply lines. Some 50-60 trees fell in Mintu Road and Dhanmondi areas.

"We are trying to restore electricity supply situation across the country," said the officials of BPDB and DPDC.

The gridlines of Dhanmondi, Mogbazar, Matuail and Lalbag are also being restored, said the DPDC official.

Vehicles negotiating a tempest with their headlights on in the capital's Paltan area on Sunday evening. — FE Photo

"We are expecting to restore electricity supply in the capital within next several hours."

Repairing of the damaged electricity lines is also being carried out across the country, he added.

Winds with a speed of around 74.01 kmph hit many parts across the country at around 6:00 pm.

Several such storms might approach again with a gap of 24-48 hours, Bazlur Rashid of Dhaka met office told the FE.

The nor'wester was the first strong rainfall in the country in this season. Around 17 millimeter rainfall was recorded in Dhaka, he added.

Speedy wind was blowing from Sunday noon, but the heavy storm started in the evening, which somehow reduced temperature and eased the hot and humid weather.

People who were returning to home after office had to suffer a lot during the sudden downpour in the evening. Besides, traffic congestion on different important roads also hit the city dwellers hard.

People were seen standing under roadside sheds or inside buildings and waiting for transport.

Rafique Zaman, a private sector service-holder who took shelter under a building in Paltan area, told the FE that he was waiting for more than an hour to catch a bus to reach home.

Earlier, the Bangladesh Meteorological Department warned of nor'westers throughout the first half of April.

The Agricultural Information Services (AIS) spokesperson Md Golam Mawla told the FE that the detail information on crop damages, caused by the nor'wester across the country, is yet to be known.

If the hailstorm along with speedy wind continues, the standing Boro crop and summer vegetable fields might be severely damaged, he added.

Met office, however, forecasted said that rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty or squally wind is likely to occur at many places over Rangpur, Mymensingh, Dhaka, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions, and at a few places over Khulna, Barishal and Rajshahi divisions with hails at isolated places.

Day and night temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country, it added.

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