A sudden storm lasting just 30 seconds has flattened at least 5 hectares of banana fields in Shailkupa, Jhenaidah.

The storm struck Berbari and Chandpur villages in Chandpur union of Shailkupa upazila on Saturday afternoon (22 February).

Local farmers said the storm began suddenly in the afternoon and badly damaged the banana fields. The 30-second storm caused heavy damage to tobacco, banana, jujube and mango blossom in the area, and mango and litchi blossom fell.

Farmer Ajibar Biswas said the storm began suddenly after 4.30pm. "In a violent storm of about 30 seconds all the banana plants broke. The tobacco field has been ruined. We did not expect such a storm to hit before the Kalbaishakhi season," he said.

Upazila agriculture officer Arifuzzaman said the storm season was ahead and farmers had been advised at field level and taught how to support banana plants with bamboo poles. "Yesterday's storm damaged 5 hectares of banana fields. Tobacco has also been damaged," he said.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.