Two dead as cyclone Remal hits Bangladesh coast

At least two people have died after a powerful tropical cyclone in the Bay of Bengal pounded the coastline of Bangladesh and neighbouring India.

The cyclone, named Remal, had now crossed the coast and was weakening gradually, Bangladesh’s meteorological department said on Monday.

The cyclone, which lashed the coastline with wind speeds of up to 120 kilometres per hour, also left many coastal districts without power.

Many thatched houses were reportedly damaged, trees uprooted and electric poles toppled, according to reports by local media.

Two deaths were reported, State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Muhibur Rahman said late on Sunday.

One person was washed away by the storm surge in Patuakhali district while the other died while running for cover during the storm in Satkhira district.

Tidal surges inundated many villages in the coastal areas as flood walls were damaged, he said.

The assessment on the cyclone-related damage was in progress on the ground, said an official at the disaster management department.

Earlier, the government moved more than 800,000 coastal residents to cyclone shelters.

The Bangladeshi coastline is often hit by deadly tropical cyclones that are formed in the Bay of Bengal.

More than 450,000 people have been killed in 12 major cyclones that have hit the Bangladeshi coastline since 1965, according to Bangladesh’s 2016 report on disaster management preparedness.