Many areas in the capital plunged into darkness on Saturday evening as the power supply and distribution system was heavily disrupted due to a nor’wester that lashed many parts of the city.According to official sources, the supply and distribution system of Dhaka city almost collapsed leading to a sudden power cut to most of the areas as the storm with ghastly rain began razing around 7:15pm.Following the storm, many substations were shut down as technical glitch developed and stopped power supply within its controlled areas.Officials of Dhaka Power Distribution Company Ltd (DPDC) which operates mainly in South, West and Central parts of the city said they received complaints from many areas, including Dhanmondi, Lalbagh, Motijheel, Moghbazar, Malibagh and Ramna.Similarly, the officials of Dhaka Electric Supply Company Ltd (Desco), which controls the city’s North and Eastern parts, informed that they were also receiving reports of power disruption from their control rooms at different areas.However, Desco Executive Director (Operation) Noor Mohammad said the power supply at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka Cantonment and some other important areas was not affected by the storm.”But, the areas where power supply was disrupted are now being repaired and our technical and engineering teams have already started reaching those areas,” he added.The Desco official said they received reports of power disruption from Gulshan, Uttara, Mirpur, Banani and some other areas.”We hope we will be able to restore power supply shortly in the affected areas,” Noor Mohammad told UNB.3 killed in nor’wester lashes RajshahiAdds UNB: Three people were killed and 10 others injured as a nor’wester lashed several upazilas of Rajshahi on Saturday.The deceased were identified as Jahanara Begum, 60, of Pakuria village in Bagha upazila, and Emajuddin, 47, of Kishorepur upazila in the same upazila, and Monwara Begum, 65, of Char Asariadah village in Godagari upazila.Witnesses said Jahanara died on the spot as a wall of earthen house collapsed on her at Pakuria village as the storm swept the village in the evening.On the other hand, the storm lashed several villages of Godagari upazila and damaged several houses, leaving Monwara dead on the spot and several people injured.Besides, Emajuddin went to the shore of Padma river when the nor’ wester also lashed Kishorepur village at the same time.A mudslide of the river collapsed on him as he tried to recover his boat during the storm, leaving him dead on the spot.The storm destroyed over 50 houses, and uprooted a number of trees, local people said.Of the injured, 10 people were admitted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.
