Heavy rains and strong wind brought by Cyclone Remal have lashed the costal districts in the country, leaving at least ten people dead, flooding villages and uprooting trees.
The cyclonic storm Remal which made landfall in Bangladesh’s coastal area on Sunday night has so far claimed 10 lives, said State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Md Mohibur Rahman.
Besides, 1,50,457 houses were damaged during the storm. Of these, 35,483 houses were fully damaged in 107 unions and 914 municipalities, said the state minister while speaking at a press briefing held at the Secretariat on Monday.
The deaths were reported from Khulna, Satkhira, Barishal, Patuakhali, Bhola and Chattogram districts. Among the deceased, three died in Bhola and Barishal districts each, and one each in Satkhira, Khulna, Chattogram and Patuakhali districts.
According to reports, ten people died in Patuakhali, Barishal, Bhola and Satkhira districts on Sunday night and Monday.
Among the deceased, three died in Bhola, two each in Barishal and Patuakhali districts and one in Satkhira district.
In Bhola, three people including a woman and a child died during heavy rains influenced by the cyclone.
According to the control room of local administration, Maneja Khatun, 50 died when a house collapsed on her at Char Umed union of Lalmohan upazila of the district on Monday morning.
Raisha, 3, of Daulatkhan municipality and Jahangir, 50 of Chachra Union on Borhanuddin upazila were also killed during the storm.
A total of 9424 shelters have been opened in the coastal districts of the country and over 8 lakh people took shelter there, he said.
Besides, 52,146 domestic animals were also housed there.
He also claimed that no major damage had occurred due to massive preparation taken by the ministry following the directives of the prime minister.
Meanwhile, a total of 1,471 medical teams were formed to provide treatment to the people in the cyclone-hit areas and of them, 1,400 remain active.
Tk 6.85 crore has been allocated to the affected people. Tk 3.85 crore, 5,500 tonnes of rice, 5,000 dry foods, Tk 1.50 crore for baby food and Tk 1.50 crore for fodder have been distributed in 15 districts, said the minister.
The cyclone has severely impacted power transmission and distribution systems, particularly under the Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB). According to a press release from the ministry, power connections were either fully or partially disrupted in 65 out of 80 Palli Biduyt Samities (PBSs).