Geographical Characteristics and the Components at Risk of Tornado in Rural Bangladesh: A Case Study of Brahmanbaria Tornado

Abstract

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