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Taslima Hossain.

and Environment, University of Dhaka. E-mail: rezsid@ymail.com

Md Rezwan Siddiqui, Department of Geography

Department of Geography and Environment, University of Dhaka

Research Article Open Access

Volume 3 • Issue 2 • 1000111J Geogr Nat Disast

ISSN: 2167-0587 JGND, an open access journal

Open AccessCase Report

Geography & Natural DisastersSiddiqui and Hossain, J Geogr Nat Disast 2013, 3:2

http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2167-0587.1000111

*Corresponding authors:

Taslima_hossain@ymail.com

Received July 23, 2013; Accepted August 29, 2013; Published September 04,

2013

Citation: Siddiqui MR, Hossain T (2013) Geographical Characteristics and the

Components at Risk of Tornado in Rural Bangladesh: A Case Study of Brahmanaria

Tornado. J Geogr Nat Disast 3: 111. doi:10.4172/2167-0587.1000111

Copyright: © 2013 Siddiqui MR, et al. This is an open-access article distributedunder the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits

unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the

original author and source are credited.

Geographical Characteristics and the Components at Risk of Tornado in

Rural Bangladesh: A Case Study of Brahmanaria TornadoMdRezwan Siddiqui* and Taslima Hossain*

Abstract

On 22 March 2013, a tornado swept over the Brahmanaria and Akhura Sadar Upazila (sub-district) of Brahmanaria

district in Chittagong Division of Bangladesh and caused 35 deaths. There were also high levels of property damages.

The aim of this paper is to present the geographical characteristics of Brahmanaria tornado and the detail of damages

it has done. Through this we will assess the components at risk of tornado in the context of rural Bangladesh. Research

shows that, though small in nature and size, Brahmanaria tornado was very much catastrophic – mainly due to the lack

of awareness about this natural phenomenon. This tornado lasts for about 15 minutes and traveled a distance of 12

kilometer with an area of inuence of 1 square kilometer of area. Poor and unplanned construction of houses and other

infrastructures was also responsible for 35 deaths, as these constructions were unable to give any kind of protection

during tornado. From this research, it has been seen that human life, poultry and livestock are mostly at risk of tornadoesin case of rural Bangladesh. Inhabitants of this region are completely unaware of the life and property saving measures

necessary to take during tornado. This tornado caused high level of human death and casualties and it will take a long

time for the affected to overcome the losses.

Keywords: ornado; Risk; Characteristics; Bangladesh; Brahmanaria

Objective

Key objective o this research is to understand the geographical

characteristics o a tornado in Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, there are

several tornadoes in different parts o the country. But or the lack o

proper source o data and identification system, they remain unnoticed

most o the time. Te country has no tornado warning system, nor any

tracking or measurement system o tornado. As a result, no effort canbe taken to assess the elements at risk o tornado or the country, or

the lack o proper data.

A tornado database was developed by Jonathon Finch in 1996

which was highly generalized and lack o detail inormation about each

tornado in Bangladesh. So, a research like this is hoped to develop a

new way to learn about the tornado in context o Bangladesh [1].

Introduction

Many parts o Bangladesh are regarded as high risk zone or tornado.

During 1961-1996 local newspapers reported 10,766 tornado deaths.

During the thirty five-year period, twenty o 199 tornadoes killed more

than 100 people and seven o them killed more than 500 people [1]. Onan average 179 people dies every year tornado in Bangladesh [2]; most

o which become unnoticed because o highly localized in nature.

A violent tornado swept over the eastern part o Bangladesh in

Brahmanbaria Sadar Upazila (sub-district) and AkhauraUpazila (sub-

district) o Brahmanaria Districts on 22nd March 2013. Te incident

occurred around 17:10 hours in local time (GM +6) and lasts or 15

minutes [3].

Te most significant eature o this tornado is there was no past

record o any tornadoes in Brahmanaria or surrounding areas [1,3].

As a result people o this area didn’t know about the characteristics o

the tornado and the necessary measure to save their lie and properties.

Te target o this research is to find out the geographicalcharacteristics o the tornado in Bangladesh also point out the elements

at risk o tornado in the perspective o rural Bangladesh.

Methodology 

Te research has done with the combination o two methods.

An immediate field visit and survey to the tornado affected villages

was done on 26 March, 2013 by the researcher and his team. Several

interviews were taken to understand experience o the affected people,

to find out the elements at risks and also the nature o damages done

by the tornado.

Te tornado track map was created using the local administrativemap, Google satellite image and GPS technology during field visit.

As in Bangladesh, there is no immediate source o tornado track or

location primarily the relative location o the tornado was identified

rom the situation reports (Figure 1).

Local cadastral maps (scale 1:50000) were collected and was

overlapped with Google satellite images. Field maps were prepared

with identification o roads, rivers, important landmarks etc. During

the field visit the first attempt was to identiy a point or place where

the tornado was first noticed. As the tornado lef a track o damage, we

ollowed this track o damage and identified the tornado track, width,

area o influence and other characteristics o tornado. GPS was used to

precisely identiy the location. Later on, all this data were compiled todevelop the tornado track and map (Figure 1).

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Citation: Siddiqui MR, Hossain T (2013) Geographical Characteristics and the Components at Risk of Tornado in Rural Bangladesh: A Case Study

of Brahmanaria Tornado. J Geogr Nat Disast 3: 111. doi:10.4172/2167-0587.1000111

Page 2 of 4

Volume 3 • Issue 2 • 1000111J Geogr Nat Disast

ISSN: 2167-0587 JGND, an open access journal

Newspaper reports, situation reports by the government anddifferent NGO’s were collected and analysed to get the actual figure odamages and relie acilities done afer the tornado. From the analysiso damage data, and the field survey the elements at risks o tornadowere identified.

Results and Discussion

Geographical coverage

Te tornado travels a distance o more than 12 kilometer. Tetornado begins at Ram rail Village o Ram rail Union and ended atAhmedabad Village o North Akhaura Union. Te identified villages

over which tornado traveled are listed in able 1. Among them Dublais damaged most severely ollowed by Fulbaria and Chinnari amongthirteen villages o six unions reported to be visited by this tornado.

As observed rom the field survey, the average radius o thetornado on earth surace was sixty to eighty meter. It affected an area oseventeen square kilometer [3], o which around one square kilometerarea was heavily damaged. Anything within this area was devastated.Almost ninety percent o the causalities occurred within this area oinfluence o the tornado.

Meteorological condition

Te regional meteorological condition o affected area on thetornado day (22 March, 2013) and during the tornado is in able 2. It

was definitely very high temperature on that day o tornado occurrence.At noon the average temperature o that area is more than 35°C and itcreates the perect triggering actor or tornado.

Local peoples and government officials said that during the tornadothe wind speed was up to 70 km/hour (43.5 mile/hour). As there wasno local weather station, the exact meteorological details o the tornadowere unknown. According to the wind speed this tornado is withinF0 scale the Fujita ornado Damage Scale this. In this scale this is thelowest level o tornado [4](Figure 2).

According to the local people beore the tornado on March22, weather became cloudy suddenly. People thought that, it was aNor’wester. But when they saw the unnel shaped wind and cloud withheavy rainall, they begin to think that it was something different.

Damages

Te Brahmanaria tornado is one o the severe disasters in thisregion o the country. Te total population o these unions are28913,and 8615 have been affected partially or ully, which represents almost29 percent o the total population o the affected areas (able 3) [5]

Tousands o trees were uprooted [3], electric lines and poleswere heavily damaged. ube wells were damaged and malunctioned.One o the most devastating eatures o the tornado was, it collapsed200 eet boundary wall and 420 eet o security boundary wall oBrahmanaria District Jail, which was highly ortified. Te road and railcommunication was halted or several hours, mainly due to blockagerom tree all.(Figure 3)

Te most devastating effect o this tornado was the loss o thirty

five lives just within fifeen minutes. Tis was unbearable to the localpeople. Te dead bodies were reportedly ound ten to thirty meteraway rom the original spots [3]. Te loss o means o livelihood, like

Figure 1: Track and area of inuence of Brahmanbaria tornado.

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Citation: Siddiqui MR, Hossain T (2013) Geographical Characteristics and the Components at Risk of Tornado in Rural Bangladesh: A Case Study

of Brahmanaria Tornado. J Geogr Nat Disast 3: 111. doi:10.4172/2167-0587.1000111

Page 3 of 4

Volume 3 • Issue 2 • 1000111J Geogr Nat Disast

ISSN: 2167-0587 JGND, an open access journal

crops and livestock or poultry brought urther havoc to their miseries.

Tese created a long lasting economic problem or the affected people.

Almost 1300 livestock and poultry died in this tornado, which are amajor source o income o people living in those villages.

In this area, the tin made houses were abandoned which was

completely destroyed. Te roos were blown away, wall collapsed;home urniture and utensils were flown away to a urther distance. Tebrick built buildings were not spared. Most o the brick built houses

within the tornado track collapsed partially or ully, causing casualties.Te reason behind this is mainly poor construction.

Elements at risks

Te Brahmanaria tornado caused heavy atal damages to human and

animal lie considering its small geographic nature and less intensity.

Tis is because o the completely unawareness o the population about

the tornado and the necessary measures to save lie rom tornado. I

those populations were aware o this natural hazard, such devastating

atalities would never happen. Tis kind o unawareness about tornado

is very much common in rural Bangladesh. So, human lie is top

element at risk o tornado in rural Bangladesh [6].

Loss o more than a thousand household livestock and poultry

is a massive economic loss or a rural area in Bangladesh. Peoples

livelihood and nutrition supply are dependent on these. So, these are

another most highly risked element or tornado in rural Bangladesh.

Te houses were mainly teen shaded with wood and tin wall. Tere

were many brick built houses also. But all these houses were poorly

contrasted. Even the brick built houses were devastated by the tornado

–as they were not tornado resilient in any way. Moreover there were

no underground chambers o houses to take shelter during tornado. So

taking shelter within the houses did not help anyone rom not getting

injured or killed.

Electricity supply was great hampered by the tornado, as the polls

were weak not tornado resistant.

From the field interviews and surveys, we can list ollowing items

as at risk o tornado:

1. People without awareness about what to do during tornado.

Especially women and children

2. Livestock and poultry are heavily at risks

3. All types o houses and other structures like mosques, schools

etc.; as those are very poorly constructed.

4. Electricity, telephone and water services are also vulnerable.

Conclusion

Tere is a need o an extensive research to find out the adaptation

strategies or tornado in the context o rural Bangladesh. Bangladeshis a densely populated country and or this reason any tornado with

Brahmanbaria District, Chittagong Division, Bangladesh

Upazila Union Village(s)

Brahmanbaria Sadar 

Ramrail Ramrail

Sultanpur Fatirhata, Urshiura

Machihata Fulbaria, Chandpur, Chinnari

BashudebBhatsala, Basudeb, Jarultola, Dubla,

Chandi

Bijoynagar  Pattan KazlaBil

 Akhaura North Akhaura Ahmedabad

( Field Survey, 2013), (DMIC, CDMP, MoDMR, 2013)

Table 1: Affected villages of Brahmanbaria Tornado.

Time (BDT)Tempera

ture

Heat

IndexHumidity Pressure

Wind Wind

SpeedDirection

 Average of 

26.0 °C 32.45 °C 83% 1007.29 hPa   13.7 km/hthe Day (22

March, 2013)

16:50:00 hours 28.0 °C 31.9 °C 79% 1005 hPa SW 14.8 km/h17:50:00 hours 28.0 °C 32.7 °C 84% 1006 hPa South 13.0 km/h

Source: (Weather Underground, Inc., 2013)

Table 2: Meteorological condition of the affected area on 22nd March, 2013.

Figure 2: The Brahmanbaria Tornado. Source: YouTube video [4].

Figure 3: Damages done by the Brahmanbaria tornado.

Sector of Damage Number  

Deaths 35

Injured 388

 Affected FamiliesHeavily 1,326

Partially 402

Destroyed HousesFully 2,635

Partially 752

 Affected PeoplesFully 6,630

Partially 1,985

 Affected Crops (Acre)Fully 173

Partially 1,112

 Affected Educational

Institutions  6

 Affected Religious Institutions 5

 Affected Road (km) 2.25

Livestock Death 299

Poultry Death   910

(DMIC, CDMP, MoDMR, 2013)(Islam, 2013)

Table 3: Damages done by Brahmanbaria Tornado.

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Citation: Siddiqui MR, Hossain T (2013) Geographical Characteristics and the Components at Risk of Tornado in Rural Bangladesh: A Case Study

of Brahmanaria Tornado. J Geogr Nat Disast 3: 111. doi:10.4172/2167-0587.1000111

Page 4 of 4

Volume 3 • Issue 2 • 1000111J Geogr Nat Disast

ISSN: 2167-0587 JGND, an open access journal

small size and intensity can do a much greater loss to lie and propertythan any other countries in the world. Additionally, development otracking and warning system or tornado is also very important as thus

we can predict the vulnerability o any region and population.

References

1. Finch JD (1996) Bangladesh and East India Tornado Prediction Site 

2. Paul BK, Bhuiyan RH (2004) The April 2004 Tornado in North-Central 

Bangladesh: A Case for Introducing Tornado Forecasting and Warning 

Systems. University of Colorado.

3. Islam AKMT (2013) The Aftermath of Tornado in Brahman Baria. Dhaka: 

CDMP II, Ministry of Disaster Management & Relief.

4. Anulyno (2013) YouTube.

5. DMIC, CDMP, MoDMR, (2013) Situation Report on Tornado in Brahmanbaria. 

Situation Report. Dhaka: Disaster Management Information Centre Ministry of  

Disaster Management and Relief.

6. Weather Underground Inc (2013) Weather History for Chittagong, Bangladesh.

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Citation:  Siddiqui MR, Hossain T (2013) Geographical Characteristics and

the Components at Risk of Tornado in Rural Bangladesh: A Case Studyof Brahmanaria Tornado. J Geogr Nat Disast 3: 111. doi:10.4172/2167-

0587.1000111