Dhaka, Nov 18 (EFE).- At least three people died and 39 remained missing as tropical cyclone Midhili completed landfall on the Bangladesh coast before reducing to a depression on Saturday.
The police superintendent of coastal Chittagong district, SM Shafiullah, confirmed that two people were killed in the region by falling trees.
Papia Akter, the administration chief of Basail in central Tangail district, told EFE a motorcyclist was killed on the spot after being hit by the branch of a tree while the cyclone was crossing the country on Friday.
Southern Barguna district’s Fishing Boat Owners Association president, Golam Mostafa Chowdhury, told EFE that they were yet to establish contact with 31 fishermen who were among those reported missing during the cyclone.
“We had around 300 fishermen missing on Friday. Most of them contacted us later, except for 31,” Chowdhury said.
Chowdhury added that at least two fishing trawlers capsized during the passage of the cyclone, leaving eight other fishermen missing.
“In one of the two capsized trawlers, we had 12 fishermen. Four could be rescued, but eight remained missing.”
The cyclone completed its landfall on the southwestern coastal areas of Bangladesh by 3pm on Friday before gradually turning into a depression, meteorologist Omar Faruq of the Bangladesh Meteorological Department told EFE.
“Weather is now clear, and no danger persists,” said Faruk.
Midhili was the second cyclone to hit the Bangladesh coast in less than a month after Hamoon struck the southeastern Cox’s Bazar coast in late October, killing at least five people.
The country’s geographical location makes it particularly vulnerable to cyclones, which occur mostly between April and May and between October and November.
The last major cyclone to hit the country was Amphan, which killed nearly 100 people in Bangladesh and neighboring India in May 2020. EFE
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