Kolkata: The weakening tropical storm Remal flooded dozens of coastal villages and left nearly 30 million people without power Monday in southern Bangladesh and eastern India. At least 10 people died in Bangladesh.
About 3.7 million people along the coast were affected, said Bangladesh’s junior minister for disaster management and relief, Mohibbur Rahman. More than 35,000 homes were destroyed and nearly 115,000 were damaged. Nearly 800,000 people were evacuated from vulnerable areas on Sunday.
Bangladesh, a delta nation of nearly 170 million people, has a history of violent storms. Disaster preparedness programs have upgraded the capacity to tackle natural disasters, resulting in fewer casualties. Changing climate patterns have increased storms’ intensity, making preparations more urgent.
Remal weakened after making landfall in Bangladesh’s Patuakhali district early Monday, with sustained winds of 111 kilometers (69 miles) per hour. India’s Meteorological Department said it was likely to weaken throughout the day, but warned of heavy showers over Assam and other northeastern states for the next two days.
As skies cleared up, flight operations were resumed in Kolkata, mentioned Indigo Airlines in a tweet.
In West Bengal, four people were electrocuted, authorities said, taking the death toll in the state to six. The storms also hit power lines, with electricity cut off for several coastal areas.
Nearly three million people in Bangladesh and thousands in West Bengal were left without electricity due to Cyclone Remal. Bengal authorities said that at least 1,200 power poles were uprooted, while 300 mud huts had been razed.
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