At least six killed as Cyclone Mora hits Bangladesh
The storm is believed to have destroyed refugee camps housing Rohingya Muslims, who are fleeing persecution in Myanmar.
At least six people were killed in Bangladesh on Tuesday as Cyclone Mora wreaked havoc in the south-eastern coast of the country. At least 20 people were injured by falling trees and other storm-related accidents.
The cyclone made landfall between Cox’s Bazar and Chittagong between 6 am and 7 am, reported Dhaka Tribune.
While three people were killed in Cox’s Bazar, an infant died of cold in Bhole and two people died in Rangamati. Most of the deaths were caused by falling trees during the cyclone.
The cyclone crossed Chittagong with a wind speed of 128 kmph. It is expected to head towards Tripura and other states in North-Eastern India eventually. Bangladesh had put out its highest storm danger warning, at level 10, on Monday. However, they brought it down to 3 later on Tuesday as the cyclone lost strength.
The cyclone is believed to have destroyed refugee camps housing Rohingya Muslims who are fleeing persecution in Myanmar. At least 10,000 thatched huts in Balukhali and Kutupalong camps were destroyed by strong winds, Shamsul Alam, a community leader, told Reuters. “Most of the temporary houses in the camps have been flattened,” he said. However, the administration has not yet released an exact account of the damage caused by Mora. Cox’s Bazar district chief Mohammad Ali Hussin said that at least 15,000 houses had been flattened in the region.
Flights to and from the area have been cancelled and the fishing community has been warned against venturing into the water. Last year, at least 24 people were killed after Cyclone Roanu hit coastal Bangladesh.