A powerful nor’wester hit Lama Upazila of Bandarban on Wednesday night, damaging valuables worth Tk 5 crore.
Locals said around 900 houses were damaged when the storm swept through five unions of the upazila, including the municipality area, at midnight.
Nearly 20 electricity poles collapsed and numerous trees were uprooted during the storm, they said.
The communication of the area was also disrupted as many trees fell on the road during the nor’wester.
Besides, crops on land and fruits were damaged. Many of the affected people were living under the open sky, locals said.
Residential Engineer of Lama Power Division M Sazzad Siddique said the nor’wester damaged many electric poles. A total of 17 poles of 11 KV and one electric pole of 33 KV were broken due to the storm. So, the normal operation of electricity was disrupted. The main line was resumed to connect Lama Hospital and town area on Friday. The officers and employees of power division are working to restore the power connection. It may take two to three days to normalize the power connectivity in Lama and Alikadam area.
Lama Upazila Project Implementation Officer (PIO) M Monirul Islam said around 815 houses were damaged due to the nor’wester in Lama municipality and five unions. Many trees fell on the roads in the area. Municipality mayor, members of red crescent and locals cleared the trees from the roads. Ten metric tons of food grains were allocated by the district administration on Friday. Some corrugated iron sheets, which were stored in godowns, were provided among the victims immediately after the storm. Valuables worth around Tk 5 crore might have been damaged in the nor’wester.
Lama municipality mayor M Jahirul Islam said huge damage was done in Lama Upazila due to the storm on Wednesday. The municipality area was worst affected. The amount of the damage would be around Tk 2.5 crore to Tk 3 crore.
Lama Upazila Nirbahi Officer Kamrul Hossain Choudhury said Lama municipality and seven unions of the Upazila were damaged badly due to the nor’wester. Around 600 to 700 houses were damaged. Bandarban District Administration distributed adequate relief goods. The relief goods are being distributed among the victims of seven unions. More time is needed to calculate the amount of the losses.
