Storm kills 5, 100 fishermen missing in Bangladesh

Dhaka, Oct 16 (UNI) Five people were killed and about 100 fishermen missing in the Bay of Bengal after a fierce storm lashed Bangladesh's southern coastal belt last night, officials said today.

The storm triggered by a land depression struck southern districts of Barisal, Bhola, Barguna, Patuakhali, Bagerhat and Faridpur and injured about 200 people, destroyed hundreds of mud houses, damaged crops and betel and banana garden and uprooted innumerable trees.

Two people were killed in Bhola, two in Bagerhat and one in Munshiganj districts. The deaths were caused by collapse of houses and uprooted trees, sources said.

Coastguard officials in Bagerhat district told reporters that more than 100 fishermen with 18 trawlers had been missing in the Bay since last afternoon due to the inclement weather.

Commander of Mongla Coastguard Captain Abidur Rahman said they were conducting drives in the Bay to rescue the fishermen.

Telephone lines and power supply were snapped in most of the affected districts aggravating misery of the people and making it difficult for the local administration to conduct rescue and relief operations in remote villages and islands.

However, the land depression has weakened into a well-marked low and lies over Dhaka and Comilla regions this morning, a Met Office bulletin said.

Squally weather may continue to affect the country's maritime ports of Chittagong, Cox's Bazar and Mongla. They were advised to keep hoisted local cautionary signal number three.

UNI