Cyclonic storm Roanu ravages, inundates Bangladesh coastal districts, dozens killed

A cyclonic storm has devastated the coastal districts of Barisal and Chittagong in Bangladesh, killing at least 24 people, mostly washed away in the storm surge.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 22 May 2016, 05:22 AM
Updated : 22 May 2016, 05:22 AM

The storm, styled Roanu, made landfall with a wind speed of 62km per hour around 1:30pm on Saturday, having already killed at least six in the morning.

It weakened to a land depression and crossed the coast around 5pm, causing heavy rain and flooding a large area.

It also destroyed a huge number of houses and uprooted trees. Severe power cuts were also reported.

Chittagong suffered the maximum number of casualties and damage. At least 12 people had died and five others reportedly went missing in the district.

The number of deaths was three each in Noakhali, Cox’s Bazar and Bhola, while one each died in Feni, Patuakhali and Lakshmipur.

Two cargo vessels laden with sand sunk in the Meghna river, near Bhola, resulting in the disappearance of four labourers.

The death toll in Roanu is the highest in any storm in past three years. Cyclone Komen claimed four lives in July last year. In 2013, 12 people had died in storm Mahasen.

Analysts have blamed the breaching of dams by the storm surge for so many deaths caused by Roanu.

Some others held poverty responsible for the casualties.

Chittagong district administration said the storm damaged crops, fishes and livestock worth Tk 1.5 billion in Sandwip, Banshkhali, Anwara and Sitakunda.

More than 250,000 people in these Upazilas have been affected by the flood caused by the storm.

Thousands others have been stranded in flood waters in Cox’s Bazar, Patuakhali, Lakshmipur, Feni, Barguna, Chandpur, Jhalokathi and Bagerhat.