Bangla cyclone toll may touch 10,000, official count 2407

Dhaka, Nov 19 (UNI) Deadly cyclone 'Sidr' that ripped through Bangladesh's coastal district last Thursday night has so far killed 2407, a spokesman for the Disaster Ministry said today.

As the time passes on, horrifying stories of deaths and destruction continued to unfold. Bangladesh Red Crescent Society that deployed 42,000 volenteers in the cyclone hit 15 districts of south southwest Bangladesh said the death toll might cross 10,000.

A bulletin of the Disaster Ministry put the death toll at 2407 by official count till 12 noon today.

More than 31,00,000 people in 28 districts came under the fury of the 'Sidr,' which lashed the coast from the Bay of Bengal with terrifying wind speeds of up to 240 kph.

The storm damaged 2,73,233 houses completely while 6,07,311 houses partially. Standing crops on some 18,122 acres of land were completely damaged and crops on around 7,04,768 acres of land partially damaged.

Some 2,42,355 domestic animals and poultry birds perished during the tempest, the sources said.

World leaders offered condolences and sympathies for the cyclone victims while donor agencies and voluntary organisations started sending emergency relief for the survivors.

Donor countries and agencies has so far pledged 25 million dollars as emergency assistance to support the Bangladesh government initiatives to carrying out relief and post-cyclone rehabilitation programmes.

UNI