Bangladesh: A cyclone hit coastal areas of India and southern Bangladesh, causing at least 16 deaths.
Strong winds reaching speeds of 110 km/h, deluges of rain, and tidal surges that submerged low-lying communities have all affected the region.
On Sunday evening, when Cyclone Remal approached landfall, about a million people were evacuated.
About 8.4 million people, including 3.6 million children, lived in the cyclone’s path, according to local authorities.
The storm weakened the next day after passing past the Sagar Islands in West Bengal, India, and the port of Mongla in Bangladesh on Sunday.
Senior West Bengal state government official Sumit Gupta verified the deaths of at least six citizens, including three who had been electrocuted, in neighbouring India.
In addition to uprooting trees and damaging power lines, the cyclone wrecked thousands of homes. Rugged cottages made of mud were crushed and some thatched and tin roofs were blown off by strong gusts.
According to ministry authorities, electricity was turned off for about three million people in Bangladesh prior to Cyclone Remal in order to prevent mishaps. A Reuters news agency report cited West Bengali authorities as saying that at least 1,200 electricity poles had been pulled down.
Over the past three days, Cyclone Remal has been cruising over the Bay of Bengal, giving authorities in both countries time to get ready for its arrival.
On Sunday, more than fifty aircraft were cancelled in Kolkata, the state capital of West Bengal, India. Since then, flights have continued.
TOP PICK | India’s Gukesh D challenges world chess title at age 17
