Nor'westers or short-lived thunderstorms - locally known as Kal Baisakhi in Bangladesh - since the 29th of April, have wreaked havoc in the country, leaving 14 people dead and injuring 85 in four districts. As the Kal Baisakhi storm hit Galachipa area, a ferry capsized in the river in Patuakhali district, claiming the lives of 13 more people.
Nearly a dozen people managed to swim ashore while the fire service, police and local residents launched a campaign with boats in search of the missing. According to media reports, at least 25 passengers are still missing.
Homes, crops, shops and trees were destroyed and vast areas in several districts were left without power. Violent winds of over 80 kmph in Sirajganj reportedly derailed nine out of 12 carriages of Drutojan Express, which runs between Dhaka and Dinajpur, at the west end of Bangabandhu Multipurpose Bridge.
Trouble for Bangladesh doesn’t seem to end as rain continues to occur in the country. In the last 24 hours, places like Sylhet and Srimangal recorded 45 mm and 41 mm of rain respectively.
Rain in West Bengal
According to the latest weather update by Skymet Meteorological Division in India, rain is expected to continue in Bangladesh as well as in adjoining regions of West Bengal in India for another 48 hours. This is because of a strong weather system called cyclonic circulation, present near Bihar, which is feeding moisture laden southwesterly winds to Bangladesh and adjoining West Bengal.
Kal Baisakhi showers have been occurring in West Bengal for the last 48 to 72 hours, with many cities like Jalpaiguri, and Kailshahar receiving moderate rain. Cooch Behar in West Bengal recorded unusual heavy rain of 135 mm in a span of 24 hours, on the 3rd of May. The weather in Kolkata also turned rainy as the city recorded 15 mm of rain on the 4th of May.
“We are closely following the development of the weather system which is likely to give more rain in Bangladesh and West Bengal and along the foothills of Bihar, Sikkim and Northeast India. We have therefore, issued a weather alert for rain in Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, Maldah, Murshidabad districts of WestBengal, with strong winds of 50 kmph, gusting at 80 kmph at times, during the next 2 to 6 hrs”, says G.P Sharma of Skymet Meteorological Division.
Kal Baisakhi showers in Bangladesh and West Bengal are most common during April to June, sometimes in March too. Therefore most of these accidents occur during the storm season between April and May.
Photo by dailystar.
