Storm wreaks havoc on 2 Nilphamari villages

A violent storm caused devastation at Miapara and Colony Haat villages of Purbo Chhatnai union in Dimla upazila under the district on Monday night.

About two hundred houses and shops were razed to the ground, three educational institutions were badly damaged and one hundred trees were uprooted in the squall that lasted only two minutes.

"We heard the roaring of a storm coming towards our village at about 11:30pm on Monday. Within seconds, it hit the area and moved violently in a circular way for around two minutes," said Ainal Huq, 55, a resident of Miapara village.

In the twinkling of an eye, tin roofs of houses began to fly in the sky, trees got uprooted and a number of thatched huts destroyed, said villagers.

Four people were injured, being hit by uprooted trees or damaged houses.

Two of them were admitted to Dimla Upazila Health Complex with broken hands and legs, said hospital sources.

Structures of Chhatnai Colony Government Primary School, Simanto Shishu Niketon and Chhatnai High School were damaged and their tin roofs blown away, said Abdul Latif, chairman of Purbo Chhatnai union parishad.

Electricity supply in the area was also snapped, as an electric pole belonging to Rural Electrification Board was broken at Purbo Chhatnai colony market.

Road communication was disrupted as a number of uprooted trees fell on roads.

"Dry food was distributed among the affected people at noon today and I have directed the local union parishad chairman to prepare a list of actual victims to give them money and house making materials like corrugated iron sheets from the upazila relief department," Dimla Upazila Nirbahi Officer Rezaul Karim said after visiting the spot along with upazila parishad Chairman Tabibul Islam yesterday.