Gopalganj tornado leaves 25 shops, temples damaged, Bangladesh

A tornado struck Kashiani upazila of Gopalganj, Bangladesh around 15:30 local time on October 5, 2023, damaging approximately 25 business establishments, temples, trees, and electric poles. There were no reported casualties.

The tornado wreaked havoc on Thursday afternoon, causing damage that extended to both business establishments and public infrastructure. Sirajul Islam (Harun) Kazi, joint general secretary of Bhatiapara Bazar Association, stated that the tornado severely affected around 20 – 25 shops and a temple in the Tandba market within seconds. Goods inside the shops experienced extensive damage, and various signboards were displaced by the powerful winds.

Numerous trees were uprooted, and electric poles were broken, leading to a temporary cessation of the power supply in the area. Traders faced significant financial losses as a result of the natural disaster.

Monir Fakir, a 50-year-old hotelier, recounted the terrifying moments, saying, “Strong winds swept through, and in an instant, the rice in my shop was gone. I had to run to a neighboring shop for shelter.”

Kashiani Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Mehdi Hasan confirmed the occurrence of the event, stating that while the tin roofs of several businesses were blown away, no casualties had been reported as of yet. He also mentioned that a full assessment of the damages is pending.

Measures to restore power and assess the damage are underway, as confirmed by local officials. Until the full assessment is complete, the true extent of the financial and infrastructural impact remains unknown.

References:

¹ Tornado strikes Gopalganj, damaging shops and temples – Dhaka Tribune – October 6, 2023

Featured image credit: Dhaka Tribune