Pre-monsoon rains, accompanied by gusty wind caused by westerly low, disrupted the normal life at different parts of the country, including the capital city.
A nor’wester also lashed many parts of the country in the afternoon leaving three people-one child in Satkhira, a housewife in Kushtia and an elderly man in Manikganj-dead, thatched houses damaged and tress uprooted. The three victims died after tress fell on them. Contacted, Arif Hossain, a meteorologist at Bangladesh Meteorological Department, said the country is now experiencing the pre-monsoon rain and nor’westers due to a westerly low. Under its influence, he said many parts of the country will experience light to moderate rain with gusty wind or nor’westers for a couple of days.
Meanwhile, a Met Office bulletin said, rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary west or north-westerly Kalbaishakhi squalls packing a speed 60-80 kph or more at places is likely to occur over the regions of Rajshahi, Pabna, Bogra, Tangail, Mymensingh, Faridpur, Dhaka, Jessore, Kushtia, Khulna, Barisal, Patuakhali, Noakhali, Comilla, Chittagong and Sylhet during the next 12 hours commencing at 2pm on Wednesday.
In the capital, commuters faced traffic snarls in different areas as vehicles remained stuck up on swamped roads following the rain in the afternoon. According to the police control room, tailbacks were reported from Shantinagar, Kakrail, Mouchak, Malibagh, Badda and Shahjadpur areas, causing sufferings to commuters.
The sudden rain also disrupted normal life and business at different parts of the city.
Additional Commissioner (Traffic) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Shafiqul Islam said vehicles were moving slowly in different city areas as the roads turned muddy due to the rains as digging is going on for development and other reasons in the areas, creating traffic tailbacks. The Met Office recorded 19mm of rain from 3pm to 6pm in the city on Wednesday. Those returning home in the evening had to face trouble for lack of transports. Auto-rickshaw drivers and rickshaw-pullers charged excessive fares from passengers.
In Satkhira, Tanveer, 5, son of Alam Hossain of Katia Sarkarpara in the district town, was killed as a tree feel on him during a storm around 5pm. The nor’wester that hit the district also damaged many trees.
In Kushtia, Rubina Khatun, 45, wife of Imdadul Haq at Bheramar village in Doulatpur upazila as a branch of tree collapsed and hit her during a storm in the afternoon. In Manikganj, Ramjan Alai, 60, died and two others were injured at Ghior upazila headquarters as a tree branch fell on them when a nor’ wester swept the upazila around 4:15pm. The two other inured-Hurmat Ali Shikder and Anwar Mondal-were admitted to the local upazila health complex. The storm also destroyed some thatched houses, trees and electric poles disrupting power supply in the district. In Munshiganj, the pontoon of a Ro Ro ferry at Shimulia Ghat in Munshiganj washed away as the nor’wester hit the district around 4pm.
