At least twelve Indian and eight Bangladeshi dead, including more than two million evacuations as Cyclone Bulbul hits the Bay of Bengal. Many people were injured, trees were uprooted and houses were damaged, With flooding rain and heavy winds.
Including busy Kolkata airport, Bangladesh’s two biggest ports, Mongla and Chittagong, were closed and flights into Chittagong airport were stopped.
The cyclone packed winds of up to 120 kph (75 mph) when it hit late Saturday, forcing the closure of many seaports and airports in both countries.
Shah Kamal, Bangladesh’s disaster management secretary, told “the cyclone damaged some 4,000 mostly mud and tin-built houses. The evacuated residents had been moved to more than 5,500 cyclone shelters.”
Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister for the Indian state of West Bengal, tweeted before the cyclone made landfall urging people to stay calm.
“Please do not panic,” she wrote. “Kindly remain calm and co-operate with the administration in its rescue and relief efforts. Be alert, take care and stay safe.”
Bulbul is on course to make landfall in the southwestern Khulna region, near the Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest, which straddles Bangladesh and part of eastern India and is home to the endangered Bengal tigers.
State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr. Md Enamur Rahman has advised the people of 13 coastal districts to come to cyclone shelters by 2 pm (local time).
Authorities have suspended a nationwide school test, canceled the holidays of officials posted in coastal districts and called off a traditional fair that draws tens of thousands of people in the Sundarbans.
Early cyclone warning systems have improved, giving authorities more time to evacuate people. Indian authorities said military ships and planes have been put on standby to assist with emergencies.
More cyclone shelters have also been constructed in Bangladesh to protect local residents. About 55,000 volunteers have been mobilized to go door-to-door and alert people about the storm.
>Juthy Saha
