At least nine people were killed as Cyclone Sitrang ravaged parts of Bangladesh on Monday, including three members of a family in Cumilla, two in Bhola, and one each in Narail, Shariatpur, Barguna, and Dhaka. The majority of deaths were reported as a result of uprooted trees falling on them.
Following the casualties, the Fire Service and Civil Defence established a monitoring cell. Roads were closed for several hours as a result of uprooted trees and light poles falling. The roads were cleared after the strong winds died down. Mobile networks and internet services in coastal areas were also disrupted during the Cyclonic storm’s landfall. The network was later restored. The power supply was disrupted in the districts of Pirojpur and Madaripur.
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The Bangladesh government had prepared 7,030 cyclone shelters in 15 coastal districts to evacuate coastal residents. Over 2 million people were evacuated from coastal areas and relocated to cyclone shelters. While the Cyclone lost strength after making landfall, coastal areas of Bangladesh continue to receive rain.
Deep Depression over Bangladesh (Remnant of Cyclonic Storm “SITRANG”) further weakened into a Depression and lay centered at 0530 hrs IST of over northeast Bangladesh and neighborhood about 90 km north-northeast of Agartala, and 100 km south-southwest of Shillong. pic.twitter.com/vCukmXmUFe
— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) October 25, 2022
The system was expected to weaken into a depression over the next three hours and then into a well-defined low-pressure area over the next six hours, according to the Met department.
Heavy rains and strong winds were forecast for the newly formed silt island of Bhashan Char, where Bangladesh has been relocating Rohingya refugees.
On Monday, Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Tripura were issued a red alert for heavy to very heavy and extremely heavy rainfall due to Cyclone Sitrang. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted widespread rainfall with thunderstorms, lightning, and heavy to very heavy and extremely heavy rain in isolated areas over Tripura on Monday and Tuesday.
The system, which moved towards Bangladesh at a speed of 56 kmph from the north Bay of Bengal, caused moderate to heavy rain and squally weather in West Bengal’s coastal districts of South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, and Purba Medinipur, dampening festive spirits during Deepavali and Kali Puja.