'10,000 homes, 6,000 hectares of cropland, and 1,000 fishing ghers damaged by Sitrang'

10,000 homes, 6,000 hectares of cropland, and 1,000 fishing ghers were damaged at 419 unions across the country and 9 people died as cyclonic storm Sitrang hit, said State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Enamur Rahman.

"Families of each deceased would be given Tk25,000," State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Enamur Rahman said during a press briefing at the secretariat on Tuesday (25 October). 

"Another cyclone is coming in December. We are taking preparation for facing it following Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's direction," Enamur Rahman said. 

Interest-free loans will be given to affected fishermen, the minister added.

Earlier, State Minister for the Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid said efforts are underway to restore electricity supply for the 80 lakh people who are facing load-shedding right as an aftereffect of cyclone Sitrang.

He said that there are 4 crore 80 lakh total consumers of electricity in the country, of them about 80 lakh are facing load-shedding.

"We are trying to restore electric connection for consumers as soon as possible," said the state minister during a press briefing at the Secretariat on Tuesday (25 October).

However, the hospitals and other essential establishments will be given priority.

Around 2,000 electric poles, including 800 poles of the Rural Electrification Board, have been damaged in the cyclone, he said.

As Cyclone Sitrang passed through the country, it trigged tidal surges in the coastal districts of Noakhali, Bhola, Barishal and Cox's Bazar.

Of them, three deaths were reported in Cumilla, three in Munshiganj, two in Bhola and one each in Narail, Noakhali, Brahmanbaria and Khulna districts.

Cyclone Sitrang hit the country on Sunday evening and wreaked havoc throughout the country on Monday. On Tuesday, the cyclone turned into a tropical depression and is on the path to move away from the country. 

In Cox's Bazar, 6,500 houses in 47 unions were damaged and 2 lakh people were affected by the cyclonic storm of Sitrang, said the district Deputy Commissioner Zahid Iqbal. 

The department concerned is still working to assess the overall damage, he added.

According to primary sources, the DC said, Cox's Bazar coastal areas were inundated with 6-7 feet high tidal surges induced by the cyclone. 

Besides, the road links in the island upazila Maheshkhali remained snapped due to the storm, said Matarbari Union Parishad Chairman Abu Haider. 

Some people still remained marooned in Dhalghata union of Maheshkhali and Kutubdia upazilas, the chairman added.

In addition, Marine Drive road was damaged at two points.

The Faridpur Agriculture Department has started the work of assessing the damage to the crops including vegetables in Faridpur.

Meanwhile, houses have collapsed in many places of the district and there has been extensive damage to trees.

In Khulna our correspondent reported that about 1,600 houses have been damaged. Also, heavy rain and wind has damaged Aman paddy in some areas, confirmed Khulna District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer Ranjit Kumar Sarkar.

In Patenga, thousands of people are now living under the open sky after more than 300 houses were damaged by Cyclone Sitrang. 

Champa Rani Jaldash, a resident of Halishahar, said she took shelter in the embankment with three children when the cyclone hit the coastal area around 10:30pm. 
 
"I could not take any belongings with us in a rush. The cyclone washed away everything. No food or clothing are left behind. Also, my husband's fishing net worth around a lakh was swept away," she lamented. 
 
Cyclone Sitrang damaged hundreds of houses, Aman paddy and other winter crops in Lakshmipur.

Kamalnagar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO)Md Kamruzzaman said some 240 buffaloes and eight cows were washed away from various locations along the Meghna River.

Besides, the majority of the district experienced power outages for hours. 

Lakshmipur's Palli Bidyut Samity (PBS) General Manager Zakir Hossain said 365 electric poles were damaged in the cyclone severing some 450 connections in the district. 
 
The estimated damage is approximately Tk 50 lakh, he added.
 
In Satkhira, 410 hectares of paddy were destroyed as a result of heavy rain and strong winds caused by Cyclone Sitrang. 
 
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), Satkhira, 31 hectares of mustard fields, 128 hectares of vegetables and 410 hectares of paddy were damaged in the district.
 
Deputy Director of DAE Satkhira Md Jamal Uddin informed The Business Standard that a damage list has been prepared and sent to higher authorities.
 
In Cumilla, Cyclone Sitrang affected 652 hectares of cropland, including 367 hectares of paddy field and 285 hectares of vegetable land, according to the district agriculture office. 
 
Cumilla recorded 62.6 mm rainfall in the last twenty four hours. The maximum wind speed was 63 kmph when Sitrang crossed Cumilla. 
 
Although the power connection was snapped for a long time, electricity started restoring to the city on Tuesday (October 25).
 
In Brahmanbaria, two people died during Monday's storm.  The deceased are Zainal Abedin Bhuiyan, 27, of Dhwajnagar village in Kasba upazila and Ripon Mia, 28, of Noagaon union of Sarail upazila.

A tree fell on Joynal's house around 12am killing him dead on spot while his wife Nipa Akhter sustained injuries. 
 
In another incident, Lineman Ripon Mia fell into the water along with an electric pole while repairing it. Doctors declared him dead after having been taken to the Zila Sadar hospital.

In Noakhali, a one-year-old child named Sanjida Afridi died after a tree fell on her during the storm induced by Cyclone Sitrang. 

Besides, 1,500 houses were damaged in five upazilas of the district and a shelter centre was washed away in the Meghna river. 

In the last two days, around 396,000 people suffered due to the cyclone that flooded the coastal areas. However, the water has started receding from the flooded areas since Tuesday afternoon, the locals said.