Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 4 Num 315 Sun. April 18, 2004  
   
Front Page


Twister
Homeless camp out, 2 more die in Netrakona


Two more people injured in Wednesday's tornado died at Netrakona General Hospital yesterday, bringing to 42 the number of victims killed in the storm, while residents of five twister-affected villages in Mymensingh are still living in the open.

The victims are Palishar Ma, 70, and Majeda, 8. Palishar was found in a cropland in Kanchanpur Friday evening, while Majeda was earlier brought to the hospital. At least 20 people are still missing and their relatives are now looking for their bodies, according to our Netrakona correspondent.

About 3,000 people of 23 tornado-affected villages are now living under the open sky amid mismanagement in relief distribution. Diarrhoea has broken out in Uluati and Kairati villages and 10 patients were admitted to Netrakona General Hospital until yesterday.

A lecturer of Purbadhala College, Iqbal Ahmed, who lost his sister-in-law and a house help, said no official or political leader has yet visited Atkapara, Koirati, Fochika and Wachnapur villages in Purbadhala upazila where the storm-hit people are still to get any relief.

Sixty-year-old Jamila Khatun of Kanchanpur who survived with her only grand daughter said, "The storm killed my daughter, son and his wife." The two had only dry food three times in the last three days.

Netrakona General Hospital after having a little aid from the health department is running short of medicines. Eighteen medical teams are working with insufficient supply of necessary medicines.

In Mymensingh, the storm-hit people of Samulia Para, Gazir Bhita, Boalmara, Surjapur and Kaliani Kanda of Haluaghat upazila have been suffering from acute crisis of food and shelter. The relief that includes cash, clothes and dry food is minimal, Gazir Bhita and Samulia Para villagers say.

The district administration has so far distributed 100 tonnes of rice, 250 bundles of CI sheet, 300 pieces of saree, 200 pieces of lungi and Tk 2,50,000 among the victims. Local administration sources said the tornado left 3,000 people of 720 families homeless, reports our Mymensingh correspondent.

The storm left many indigenous Garo families homeless. Profulla Barman of Gazir Bhita who lost his all three houses told The Daily Star that now they fear fresh hit of the storm, as they are under the open sky with other families. They are in need of housing materials and food.

Razia Begum, 45, a resident of Samulia Para, has lost all her belongings. All of her family members are injured and receiving treatment at hospitals.

Haron Miah, a shop worker at Haluaghat Bazar, said they need food and rehabilitation first to overcome the situation. He said as the victims have lost everything, it will be difficult for them to make a fresh start without help from the government and other corners of the society.

Military teams are serving cooked khichuri but many families have no pot to take. The villagers also cannot take bath, as they do not have any other clothes, except those on.