People suffer as rain, nor’wester hit Dhaka hard

A nor’wester accompanied by heavy rain and thunderstorm swept the capital on Monday. A tree was seen uprooted during a powerful nor'wester in Bijoynagor area in Dhaka. Photo: Nirmal Barman

FT ONLINE

Three spells of rain in Dhaka on Sunday following a nor’wester in the morning left many areas inundated, causing troubles to commuters in their movement.

Heavy rain came down first in the morning, then at noon and again in the evening.

A nor’wester accompanied by heavy rain and thunderstorm swept the capital in the morning.

The seasonal storm hit around 8:30am with a downpour that left many major roads of the city waterlogged.

The gusty wind with thunderstorm was blowing packing a speed of 62 kph, Abdul Alim, a meteorologist at Bangladesh Metrological Department, said.

The Met office recorded 55mm of rainfall till 12pm.

The city experienced rain again around 12pm and 6:30pm.

The clouds kept the sun out for much of the morning and noon casting a night-like ambience over the capital.

The rainfalls submerged many parts of the city, including Dhanmondi, Farmgate, Karwan Bazar, Mirpur, Badda, Shewrapara, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Jatrabari, and Jurain areas.

Many city dwellers welcomed the rain as it came after two days of sultry weather, bringing down the mercury level.

Although most city dwellers preferred to stay indoors as day was a holiday, those ventured outside had suffered due to the waterlogged roads.

Meanwhile, 14 people were killed by lightning strikes in seven districts around the country on Sunday.

Five people were killed in Sirajganj, three in Magura and one each died in Naogaon, Noakhali, Sunamganj, Brahmanbaria and Rangamati.

Amid the bad weather, the authorities concerned suspended the plying of launches and steamers from Dhaka’s Sadarghat Launch Terminal until further notice.

The Met office forecast said rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty or squally wind and lightning flashes is likely to occur at most places over Rangpur, Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Dhaka, Khulna, Barisal and Sylhet divisions and at many places over Chattogram division with heavy to very heavy falls and hails at isolated places over the country in the next 24 hours till 6pm Monday.