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Cyclone kills at least 106 in Bangladesh

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-05-27 15:28

DHAKA -- The Bangladeshi government confirmed on Wednesday that at least 106 people were killed and about 3.9 millions were affected in the cyclone Aila that battered the country's southwestern coast on Monday.

People carrying their belongings wade through flooded roads to safe places on the outskirts of Siliguri in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal, May 26, 2009. [Agencies]

However, local television channel ATN Bangla on Wednesday noon put the death toll at 136, adding that thousands of the affected people are facing shortage of food and safe drinking water.

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Saila Farzana, official of the control room under the country's Food and Disaster Management Ministry told Xinhua on Wednesday that more than 6,400 people in some 15 coastal districts were also injured according to official statistics.

She said that crops on some 79,000 acres (about 31,995 hectares) were completely damaged while crops on 249,800 acres (about 101, 169 hectares) were partially damaged.

The cyclone Aila formed in the Bay of Bengal crossed Bangladesh's southwestern coast on Monday afternoon with speed of 70-90 km per hour, triggering abnormally high tidal surge and heavy rains in the country's coastal region.

Thousands of thatched houses, more than 500 km embankments, cattle heads, fishery farms were washed away and hundreds of thousands of islanders marooned by 10-13 feet (3-4 meters) high surge, officials said.

Officials and residents in the affected region feared that many people might have been washed away by the surge. They said it may take couple of days to get a clear picture of death and destruction.

This was the biggest natural calamity in Bangladesh after cyclone Sidr battered the country's southwestern coastal belt on November 15, 2007 leaving thousands of people dead or missing.

The army, navy, volunteers and some NGOs along with local administration have been conducting rescue and relief operation, distributing food, medicine and pure water among the affected people.

The Bangladeshi government has allocated 12.3 million taka (US$175,714) cash and 2,500 tons of rice were dispatched to the cyclone-hit region.

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