Dhaka, April 18 (bdnews24.com)—At least five people, including two children, were killed as Cyclone Bijli struck the Bangladesh coast Friday night, said a food and disaster management ministry official.
Deputy secretary of the ministry, Md Sultan Ul Islam Chowdhury, briefed reporters on the damage and death toll collated up to 5pm Saturday.
Reports were received of over 600 houses and about 650 hectares of cropland being damaged by the tropical storm that made landfall overnight on the southeastern coast, he said.
However, early reports from correspondents in Chittagong and Cox's Bazar Friday night had said thousands of mud-and-thatch homes were destroyed.
Chowdhury said good preparation was taken in 15 districts of the coastal areas to combat any major calamity.
"The cyclone hit three districts—Chittagong, Cox's Bazar and Bhola—where necessary relief materials are being sent."
Maritime ports were able to lower all danger signals as the storm passed over by afternoon, he added.
The five cyclone victims were: Mobarak Khatun (65), who died at Bashkhali cyclone shelter in Chittagong; Abdur Rahim (9) of Pekua in Cox's Bazar, who died as a tree fell; another child died at Cox's Bazar cyclone centre; retired school teacher Mohammad Ibrahim (55), who died of a heart attack at Kutubdia Upazila shelter; and Dulal Mia (40) of Hatiya in Noakhali, who was struck by lightning.
The death toll could rise as more reports are collated, say officials.
Bijli blows over
Cyclone Bijli turned into a land depression early Saturday morning after striking the Chittagong-Cox's Bazar coastline overnight with winds of up to 100 kph.
The met office said the depression was moving in a northeasterly direction and would dissipate by afternoon.
Nine year-old Abdur Rahim was reported dead in Pekua Upazila as the storm raged Friday night. Officials in the cyclone-hit district said Saturday morning it would take some time to assess the damage and any further death toll.
Duty officer at the disaster ministry control cell, Syedul Islam, told bdnews24.com that solid preparations, including evacuations in the coastal belt, prevented high casualties.
Hundreds of thousands were evacuated from homes along the coastline. Except for the two southeastern districts of Chittagong and Cox's Bazar, however, Bijli left most of the coast relatively unscathed.
"We don't expect to get news of many deaths," said Islam.
"But there are reports coming in of damage to property and homes."
"We will know more as the day goes on," he added.
Strong winds, not much rain
Early reports from correspondents in Chittagong and Cox's Bazar Friday night had said the storm, the first of the cyclone season, damaged thousands of mud-and-thatch houses and cropland, uprooting trees and knocking out power and telephone lines.
They said the damage was caused by strong winds sweeping the region, including offshore islands and chars, but there was little rainfall in the region after midnight.
The southern districts of Noakhali, Feni, Laxmipur and Bhola were also hit by moderate winds.
Met department official Abdul Mannan said the depression was still packing moderate winds Saturday morning, causing rough seas along the Chittagong and Cox's Bazar coastline. The two maritime ports were asked to keep hoisted local cautionary signal number three up to mid-afternoon.
Chittagong seaport was up and running again from morning. Port official Syed Muhammad Farhaduddin said the jetties were open. "We hope all activities will be in full swing by afternoon," he told bdnews24.com.
Chittagong airport, which had also been closed the previous night, was operating again from 8am.
The cyclone lost strength gradually after making landfall in the Chittagong region, met officials said.
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