Climate-related disasters continue to impact vulnerable communities
A lightning strike in the early hours of April 15 killed six cows and a goat belonging to a poor farmer in Manikchhari upazila of Khagrachhari in Bangladesh causing an estimated loss of nearly Tk 7 lakh.
Local farmer Abdul Momin had been raising his livestock with care and hope — particularly for the upcoming Eidul Azha (second largest religious festivals of Muslims) markets.
Abdul Momin to The Climate Watch that the lightning was struck before dawn, during a sudden storm accompanied by strong winds. Within moments, a powerful bolt hit near his cowshed. The impact was fatal: two bulls, three pregnant cows, a calf, and a goat were all killed instantly.
“This was everything I had,” said a heartbroken Momin, standing near the lifeless animals. “I had raised them with the dream of selling them to markets to support my family. Now, I have lost it all.”
The grief-stricken family members were seen mourning beside the animals, their only source of income gone in a flash of nature’s fury.
Local residents and officials expressed their condolences, with many urging support for the affected family.
As climate-related disasters continue to impact vulnerable communities, incidents like this highlight the urgent need for better protection and relief mechanisms for rural farmers who live at the mercy of natural calamities.
