At least 10 people were killed and around 200 were injured as the year's first violent storm swept through Lalmohon and Char Borhanuddin upazilas in Bhola on Thursday leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.

The 10-minute long storm damaged no less than a thousand houses leaving hundreds of people homeless. Many trees in the local reserved forest were uprooted and a heavy hail shower following the storm completely destroyed the crops on the fields.

Reports received from different districts said the hailstorm on Thursday evening damaged irri, boro, maize and others crops.

Most of the dead are women and children, seven in Lalmohon and three in Borhanuddin. The deaths were caused by falling roofs of the houses that were destroyed by the storm, crushing the victims. Local people said the number of casualties might rise. Many were injured in Tajumuddin upazila also but no death was reported from there till filing of this report yesterday evening.

Our Barisal correspondent reported that a 10-minute long nor'wester accompanied by hail shower hit at least 20 villages of Lalmohon and Borhanuddin upazilas around 8:00pm on Thursday, according to the local authorities and other local sources.

The most affected villages are Chatla, Char Lakshmi, Ramganj, Dholi Gour Nagar, Lord Harding, Kalma, Kunder Char, Veduria, Char Kalachand, Karimganj, Baouria, Char Mollaji, Chetal Kumarkhali, Kul Char, and Balur Char of Lalmohon upazila, Kachia and Hassan Nagar of Borhanuddin upazila, and Char Zahiruddin of Tajumuddin upazila.

At least 40 of the injured were admitted to different upazila health complexes and union health centres.

Trees, houses, structures of educational institutions, village markets, and shops were heavily damaged by the storm. Seasonal crops also sustained heavy damage from the hail shower sweeping through different parts of Barisal division including the divisional city.

Till filing of this report no relief work started in the affected areas. Belayet Hossain, deputy commissioner of Bhola, was also not available for comments.

Our Kishoreganj correspondent reported that irri, boro, maize and other crops were badly damaged as the season's first hailstorm hit several unions under Kishoreganj district headquarters around 8:00pm on Thursday.

Reports received from Chandpur said crops on the fields there were also damaged by a hailstorm.