ReliefWeb

Title: Mild cold wave
Location: All Over Bangladesh Bangladesh (north, south-west part)

Event details:

A mild cold wave sweeping over the country’s north, the south and the south-west and thick fog in places have strained normal life. It spell claimed lives of seven people and five children in Nilphamari and Kurigram and Rangpur districts in the last three days since Tuesday. All of the children died of pneumonia and cold-related diseases.

Meteorological report on this cold wave:

Meteorologist of Bangladesh Meteorological Department in Dhaka recorded the day’s lowest temperature of 9 degrees Celsius in Jessore in 24 hours ending at 6:00am on Thursday. The regional Met office forecast harsher weather in the next 24 hours till 6 am on Friday. Met office told that the temperature might increase in a day or two. They said that there might be another cold wave sweeping all over the country in late December.

Livelihood sufferings:

The poor, the homeless and char dwellers in the north and the south-west are having hit hard as cold has been intensifying after midday and becoming unbearable in the evening for a few days, according to reports received from the districts. Most of the day labourers are forced to remain at home due to the chilly weather.

Agricultural loss:

The dense fog creates disturbance in agricultural production a lot. The “BORO” rice is not at good condition. Other agro products such as vegetable, mustard, wheat etc. are also not in good situation for better production. In such circumstance farmers are advised to provide fungus annihilator in their crop land.

Health issue

Around 2000 people, most of them children and elderly people, have fallen victim to pneumonia, diarrhoea, asthma and other cold related diseases in last three days in the northern district, said Rangpur Civil Surgeon office sources. At least 39 children with pneumonia and other cold related diseases were admitted to hospitals in the district town yesterday.

Disturbance at public Communication Dense fog had also suspended ferry service on the Mawa–Kewrakandi and the Daulatdia–Paturia route in the river Padma for hours early Thursday.

Immediate Needs for affected people: • Warm cloth • Special care for aged people mainly the patients of asthma. • Special care for children under five years • Improvement of inhaler facilities at rural level of effected area. • Necessary anti-biotic and anti-cold medicine should be reach in effected area at short time.

Reference: Daily News Papers (bdnews24.com, the Daily Star)and www.bmd.gov.bd/weather_forecast.php

Reporting from: NIRAPAD Secretariat 19/13 (Ground Floor), Babar Road, Block-B, Mohammadpur, Dhaka, Bangladesh