Meteorologists have reported that several people have died as a result of tropical cyclone Bulbul, which moved to the coasts of India and Bangladesh this weekend.
More than two million displaced people
Twenty people are reported to have died and more than two million spent the night in shelters after Cyclone Bulbul hit the coasts of India and Bangladesh with very strong winds and torrential rains.
A powerful and deadly cyclone
The cyclone caused winds of up to 120 km/h when it struck late Saturday, closing ports and airports in both countries. Ten people are reported to have died in the state of West Bengal (Kolkata: formerly Calcutta) in India. Two others died in the neighbouring state of Odisha.
In Bangladesh, eight people were reportedly killed and at least 20 people were injured. Five others are missing after a trawler was sunk by rain on the Meghna River. Some 2.1 million people across Bangladesh have been relocated to cyclone shelters.
House destruction
The cyclone damaged at least 4,000 houses built mainly of mud and sheet metal, said Disaster Management Secretary Shah Kamal.
In the coastal area of Khulna, the most affected district in Bangladesh, trees were uprooted from the ground, blocking roads and preventing access to the area. In Odisha, coastal crops were severely damaged by the cyclone
Bangladesh, still affected by cyclones and floods
The coast of Bangladesh, with a population of 30 million, and eastern India are regularly hit by cyclones. While the frequency and intensity of storms have increased, partly due to climate change. The only good news is better preparedness for natural disasters, especially cyclones.
Serge Fabre