Bagerhat residents find relief after sleepless night amid Sitrang

Bagerhat residents have found relief amid sunny weather following a sleepless night in fear of Cyclone Sitrang.

About 73,200 people stayed in 344 shelters in the district due to inclement weather brought on by the Cyclone Sitrang on Monday, said Bagerhat District Commissioner Md Azizur Rahman.

They returned home at dawn as the weather improved.

The district commissioner also said, "We have started working on assessing the damage caused by the storm."

Starting from Monday morning to Tuesday midnight, heavy rains and storms uprooted a large number of trees in the district. Many houses have been damaged.

Anil Rishi of Jilbunia village, who stayed at Fayal Kha shelter of Sarankhola Upazila, said that the condition of his house was not good so he stayed at the shelter at night.

"I along with my children spent the night by eating only puffed rice and chachanur [local snack]. I heard food will be provided at the shelter, but nothing was provided," he added.

Another person named Abul Hossain Howladar said, "I brought my wife and children [to the shelter]. However, we could not sleep all night. We ate very little. Still, it's a relief that we were able to stay safe in a government place."

Sarankhola Upazila Awami League General Secretary Asaduzzaman Milon said that a large number of trees were uprooted in Southkhal, Khontakata, Rayenda and Dhansagar Unions of Sharankhola Upazila.

Several houses were reported to be damaged.

"We tried to bring people to the shelter. There was no report of any human being harmed anywhere in the upazila."