24 killed as Cyclone Roanu hits Bangladesh

At least 24 people have been killed and over 100 others injured as cyclone Roanu battered Bangladesh’s southern coast, triggering landslides, prompting authorities to evacuate about five lakh people.

With a wind speed of up to 88 kilometres per hour, the cyclone hit the Barisal-Chittagong region, sending impacts across the country. Most places witnessed rain and thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty and squally wind Saturday morning.

“The death toll is now 24 with four more casualties reported overnight,” Bangladesh’s disaster management department’s director-general Reaz Ahmed said, adding that 11 people including minor children were killed in the north-western port city of Chittagong, which appeared to have suffered the worst in the cyclone.

The south-western Bhola, north-western Noakhali and Cox’s Bazar coastal districts witnessed three deaths while the storm damaged 85,000 homesteads and business structures along the coastlines, he said.

Several of the victims drowned in inflated waters caused by surges while landslides, collapse of houses and uprooted trees killed others, officials said.

“The officer in charge of Banskhali (of Chittagong) police station reported that seven people were killed there alone. They were victims of drowning or landslides,” a police officer stationed in the port city said.

A disaster management ministry spokesman said that some 500,000 people were evacuated to cyclone shelters though preparations have done to secure some 21,00,000 people.

Meteorologists said that the cyclone first hit the south-western coast and then proceeded towards the south-east turning the sea very rough.