Nine die in cyclone Sitrang

Cyclone 'Sitrang' has weakened in to a land depression after losing strength with incessant rainfall. However, at least nine people lost their lives in the cyclone across the country, including five women and two children.

Of them seven died after branches of trees fell on them. Two others died in an incident of boat capsize. However, the overall casualties and loss from the cyclone could not be estimated immediately.

According to the locals, police, sources in hospitals and reports from Prothom Alo’s staff correspondents and correspondents from concerned areas, the forefront of the cyclone hit the coastal region of Bangladesh at around 6.00 pm on Monday.

The centre of the cyclone hit the coastal areas at around 9.00 pm. There was stormy wind all day across the country due to the impact of cyclone Sitrang.

The first casualty from the cyclone was reported in Lohagara of Narail. A woman, Morzina Begum, 40, died as a branch of a tree fell on her on the upazila parishad premises. She was from Arjanbahar village in Bagerhat Sadar upazila. She was survived by her husband and 11-year-old son.

According to the locals and police, Morzina lived in a rented house at Rajpur village of Lohagara municipal area with her son. She worked as a housemaid.

At around 12.00 pm on Monday, a branch of a mahogany tree fell on her in front of the Palli Sanchay Bank while crossing the upazila parishad premises, leaving her critically injured. She was taken to the Lohagara Upazila Health Complex, where the physician on duty declared her dead.

Another woman, Bibi Khadiza, 68, died after a tree fell on her due to the stormy wind at around 9.00 pm in Bhola.

In another incident, a branch of tree fell on two motorcycle riders in Shashibhushan area in Char Fasson upazila of Bhola, leaving one dead on the spot and the other injured.

The deceased was identified as Md. Mainuddin, 45. He was a gold trader by profession. He was from the Hajariganj area in Char Fasson. Superintendent of police (SP) in Bhola confirmed this information to Prothom Alo.

In Sonakhali area of Barguna Sadar upazila, a woman died after a tree fell on the roof of the house she was residing in. Enamul Haque, a local social worker from Sonakhali area, said that deceased Amena Khatun was more than 100 years old. She died after a tree fell on the roof of her room during the cyclonic storm. She was having supper at the time of the incident.

Confirming the incident, Barguna deputy commissioner Habibur Rahman told Prothom Alo that the district administration would provide financial aid to the family of the deceased on Tuesday morning.

The number of casualties due to the cyclone Sitrang was the highest in the Nangalkot upazila of Cumilla. A couple and their child died as a tree fell on their house at around 11.00 pm in the Paschimpara village of Hesakhal union in the upazila.

The deceased was identified as Nizam Uddin of Paschimpara village, his wife Sharmin Akter and their four-year-old daughter Nusrat Akter.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Hesakhal union parishad chairman Iqbal Bahar said all the three were asleep at the time.

Faruk Hossain, officer-in –charge of Nangalkot police station, said, “We have recovered three bodies from the room. We are trying to remove the tree that fell on the room to see whether there was anybody else in the house or not.”

In Sirajganj, a woman and her son died as their boat capsized due to huge waves caused by the cyclone. The incident took place at around 9.00 pm in the Mohanpur area of Soyda union in Sirajganj sadar upazila.

According to the sources, a housewife was returning home with the family members, including her two sons, by a boat. However, their boat capsized in the storm, leaving one of the sons of the woman dead on the spot.

Locals rescued the woman and her other son and took them to the hospital where she was declared dead. The name of the deceased couldn’t be confirmed immediately.

Cyclone Sitrang has lost strength with time. Maritime ports of Mongla, Payra and Chattogram have been advised to lower danger signal no. 7, but instead hoist local cautionary signal no. 3.