Cyclone Fani kills four in Bangladesh

Destruction by cyclone Fani. Pic/AFP

Dhaka: At least four people were killed and 63 others injured as cyclone Fani on Saturday hit Bangladesh coast after striking the Indian states of Odisha and West Bengal, a Minister said. The toll was confirmed by State Minister for Disaster Management Enamur Rahman in a briefing at the Secretariat, reports bdnews24.

At least 1.6 million people taken to storm centres can return home by later Saturday, he added. The Bangladesh Meteorological Department has however, lowered danger signals for Mongla, Payra, Chattogram and Cox's Bazar districts.

A storm surge of 4-5 feet height above normal astronomical tide may hit the coastal districts under the influence of the storm and the new moon phase, it said.

The severe cyclonic storm, one of the strongest to batter the Indian subcontinent in decades, weakened before entering Bangladesh on Saturday morning from West Bengal.

It first made landfall in Odisha on Friday morning. It crossed Tangail and Mymensingh region as a deep depression in the noon, said the Met office. The storm will become weaker after rain.

All fishing boats and trawlers over the North Bay and deep-sea have been advised to proceed with caution until further notice.

Under the influence of Fani, strong winds with rain started to lash many parts of coastal Bangladesh from Friday night, destroying homes, damaging crops and roads, and uprooting trees.

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