Sundarbans cushions blow
Cyclone Remal battered the coastal region at wind speeds that might have reached 130kmph, and lost much of its strength while sweeping over the Sundarbans, Met officials said.
"As predicted, the centre of the severe cyclone fell between Khepupara in Patuakhali and Sagar Island in West Bengal," said Abul Kalam Mallik, a meteorologist at Bangladesh Meteorological Department.
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He said Bangladesh was on the east of the cyclone's eye which means Bangladesh took the main blow because the east side of a cyclone always causes more damage than the west side in the sub continent.
"The Sundarbans always acts as a natural shield," he added.
More than eight lakh people were evacuated to safer areas in 16 coastal districts ahead of the year's first cyclone.
It brought heavy rains and tidal surges as high as 12 feet yesterday evening.
According to officials, by midnight, wind speed at the coast may have reached 130kmph.
The authorities were yet to assess the extent of damage caused by the cyclone.
A 24-year-old man drowned after he was swept away by the strong current in his flooded village in Kalapara, Patuakhali, while a 65-year-old died after falling from a bicycle while going to a shelter amid strong winds in Satkhira.
People living in some affected areas were left without electricity since Saturday night.
Mohibur Rahman, state minister for disaster management, last night said eight lakh people were evacuated to 9,000 shelters.
"There is adequate dry food, biscuits, safe water and medical supplies there," he said.
The met office issued the "great danger signal no-10" for Barishal region and its shoals, "great danger signal no-9" for the southeastern coastlines.
The Met department said Remal made landfall between 6:00pm and midnight.
According to the Indian Met office, wind speeds may reach up to 120kmph, with gusts up to 135 kmph while the storm hits West Bengal's Sagar Island and Bangladesh's Khepupara area.
Meteorologists warned that the storm could uproot trees and cause major damage to thatched houses and disrupt power and communication systems.
Authorities closed Bangladesh's three seaports and airports in coastal districts.
The disaster management ministry said it mobilised tens of thousands of volunteers to quicken the evacuation efforts.
Dhaka and its adjacent districts also experienced gusty wind and rain yesterday afternoon.
Almost all the coastal districts saw rain and strong winds since early yesterday. It started raining heavily in the evening, reported our correspondents from different districts.
Onrush of water breached embankments along the rivers Shibsa, Kapatakkhya and Koyra at many places in Khulna.
Nine villages in Koyra, Paikgachha and Dacope upazilas were partially submerged.
In Chattogram division, several thousand people of Nijhum Dwip in Noakhali's Hatiya upazila, were in fear as there is no embankment around the island.
The man who died in the Kawarchar area of Kalapara was named Shariful Islam. Locals said he was trying to save his mother-in-law and sister next to their home when he was swept away by the water.
The man who died in Satkhira's Shyamnagar was Shawkat Morol, reports our Satkhira correspondent.
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