DHAKA-(MaraviPost)-At least 28 people have died and millions left without power after Cyclone Sitrang ravaged southern Bangladesh.
The government officials confirmed the toll in a statement adding that nearly 10,000 tin-roofed homes were destroyed.
The Cyclone Sitrang made landfall in southern Bangladesh on Monday with winds of 80kmh, leaving behind a trail of devastation in the country’s densely populated low-lying coastal regions which is home to tens of millions of people.
According to CNA, among the victims were four crew of a dredger boat that sank during the storm in the Bay of Bengal who were discovered by Fire department divers.
Other reports indicated that trees were uprooted as far away as the capital Dhaka, hundreds of kilometres from the storm’s centre and nearly five million people were still without power on Wednesday.
Despite the damage, authorities revealed that they managed to get about a million people to safety before the monster storm hit the affected areas.
Cyclones equivalent to hurricanes in the Atlantic or typhoons in the Pacific are a regular menace in the region, however scientists say climate change is likely making them more intense and frequent.
Cyclones are common in Bangladesh. Among them, the 1970 Bhola cyclone alone claimed approximately 300,000 to 500,000 lives, making it the deadliest tropical cyclone on record.
