12 Die as Cyclone Sitrang Wreaks Havoc in Bangladesh, Leaves Millions Affected in Region

Authorities in Bangladesh and India have prepared more than 10,000 cyclone shelters to evacuate people.

At least 12 residents of low-lying areas in Bangladesh have died as Cyclone Sitrang made landfall early Tuesday, destroying houses and disrupting power, road, and communication links.

Most residents were killed by falling trees. However, local authorities say that the full extent of the casualties can only be estimated after communications are restored.

Videos shared online show hundreds of trees uprooted in the capital city of Dhaka as wind gusts up to 100 kph disrupted the communication system for hours.

According to the country's weather department, a storm surge of about 10 ft inundated low-lying coastal areas, leaving thousands marooned.

The airports are - Shah Amanat International Airport, Cox's Bazar Airport, and Barisal airport have resumed operations after remaining closed for almost 20 hours.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday issued an alert for northeastern states, warning of “heavy to very heavy rainfall” over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Tripura.

The Indian weather department warned of inundation/localized flooding in low-lying areas of the northeastern states due to heavy rains. The downpour could inflict massive damage to standing crops, including agricultural and horticultural crops, it added.

A satellite-based prediction shows the cyclone storm will likely slow down by Tuesday evening. From the super cyclone that hit India's Odisha state in 1999 to Cyclone Yaas earlier this year, the country has witnessed over 10,000 deaths. According to reports, since 1970, India has been struck by over 117 cyclones.