Cyclone Sitrang: At least 13 dead in Bangladesh; houses damaged, trees uprooted due to heavy rains in Assam

Heavy rainfall caused by Cyclone Sitrang battered parts of Assam damaging several houses in the Nagaon district of the state. Numerous trees and electric poles were also uprooted in various parts of the region on Monday night.

Image credit: ANI

Cyclone Sitrang, a tropical storm that battered Bangladesh on Monday has so far killed at least 13 people. Most deaths were reported after uprooted trees fell on them, though others died from collapsing structures or drowning. Several houses were damaged due to Cyclone Sitrang which caused heavy rainfall and a storm in the Nagaon district of Assam. Numerous trees and electric poles were also uprooted in various parts of the region due to the cyclonic storm on Monday night. Under the influence of Cyclone Sitrang, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert indicating heavy to very heavy and extremely heavy rainfall for Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Tripura on Monday. 

Heavy rains lash Assam

As per reports, several houses in the Kaliabor, Bamuni, Sakmuthia tea estate, and Boraligaon areas of the central Assam district have been damaged due to the storm.No casualties due to the storm have been reported so far in the area.

Meanwhile, the tides have hit the coast of Bakkhali beach in South 24 Parganas in West Bengal amid the cyclone `Sitrang` alert. The Civil defence is alerting the tourists and locals not to venture near the sea. Notably, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday informed that the remnant of the cyclonic storm "Sitrang" which created a deep depression over Bangladesh has further weakened into a depression over northeast Bangladesh, north-northeast of Agartala and south-southwest of Shillong." Deep Depression over Bangladesh (Remnant of Cyclonic Storm "SITRANG") further weakened into a Depression and lay centred at 0530 hrs IST over northeast Bangladesh and neighbourhood about 90 km north-northeast of Agartala, and 100 km south-southwest of Shillong," the IMD tweeted. 

Assam: Torrential rainfall continuing since yesterday has triggered severe waterlogging in several parts of Guwahati.

(Visuals from Rukmini Gaon & Hatigaon areas) pic.twitter.com/dDA5s6uLWL — ANI (@ANI) October 25, 2022

Cyclone Sitrang wreaks havoc in Bangladesh 

At least 13 people have been killed while over 2 lac people have been evacuated after the tropical storm lashed out Bangladesh. Following the casualties, a monitoring cell by the Fire Service and Civil Defence was made functional. Roads remained cut off for a couple of hours due to the falling of uprooted trees and light poles. However, with strong winds subsiding, the roads were cleared. Mobile networks and internet services in coastal areas were also affected during the landfall of the Cyclonic storm. The network was restored later. The power supply was affected in Pirojpur and Madaripur districts.

Bangladesh government had prepared 7,030 cyclone shelters in 15 coastal districts to evacuate those residing in coastal areas. Over 2 lac people were evacuated from coastal districts and shifted to the cyclone shelters. While the Cyclone lost its intensity after its landfall, coastal areas of Bangladesh are still receiving rainfall.