Siddique Islam (National News Service) Dhaka, Wednesday, May 18: A tropical storm ravaged northwestern Bangladesh on last Tuesday, killing at least 27 people and capsizing a launch with 200 passengers on board near Aricha in Manikganj district.
The severe storm left a trail of devastation and injured about 1,000 others in different districts including Natore, Rajshai, Naogaon, Manikganj, Sherpur, Habiganj and Pabna.
A launch -- MV Raipur - capsized near Aricha ghat with 200 passengers on board at about 4.30pm amidst high wind in the river Jamuna while the nor'wester also hit south-western Meherpur district badly.
It has been reported that 15 people were killed alone in Natore while 8 in Rajshahi, one each in Naogaon, Chapainwabganj, Habiganj and Nilphamari.
Nor’wester damaged hundreds of thatched houses and standing crops on a vast expanse of land, and uprooted numerous trees, reports said, adding that hundreds of people were forced to stay under the open sky.
In the capital Dhaka, five people, including a rickshaw puller, were injured during the nor'wester.
Four of them were wounded at Eskaton under Ramna thana (Ramna Police Station) when a boundary wall, adjacent to their tin-shed building, collapsed. The rickshaw puller was injured when a tree fell on him near Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology (BUET). (End/si)
Posted by proutist-universal on May 19, 2005 12:16 AM
