Cyclone Yaas: 3 killed, thousands stranded in coastal districts

At least three people have died and thousands got stranded in inundated villages in the country's coastal districts as severe cyclone Yaas made its landfall in India's North Odisha coast on Wednesday morning.

Yaas was packing gusts up to 155km per hour while crossing the coastal areas. The very severe cyclonic storm became severe during the landfall.

In Bangladesh on Tuesday, a man named Abu Taher, 49, died after a tree branch fell on him during the storm in Bhola's Lalmohan upazila.

In Monpura upazila of the same district, Lamia, a seven-year-old minor girl, died after falling into tidal water, while another person died in a trawler capsize in Feni the same day.  

State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Md Enamur Rahman confirmed the news of the fatalities.

The three to six feet storm surge caused by Yaas affected 27 upazilas in nine districts such as Satkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat, Pirojpur, Barguna, Patuakhali, Bhola, Noakhali and Laxmipur.

Some 16,500 packets of dry and other types of food have already been sent to deputy commissioners of the districts.

The cyclone damaged 250 houses and washed away 900 cattle in Bhola, inundated 20-21 villages in Bagerhat, affecting 2,700 people.

Some 10-12 fish firms were also washed away in Pirojpur. The only jetty at St Martin's Island in Teknaf upazila collapsed.

Tidal water entered some localities in Barguna, Satkhira and Pirojpur following an embankment collapse. The river water was flowing above the danger level in Jhalakathi and Chattogram.

Some roads and bridges were also damaged in different places. Some 17,600 people took shelter in 3,403 cyclone shelter centres in 14 districts.

The pontoon of Shimulia no-2 ferry terminal in Munshiganj split into two and was washed away in the river due to high waves on the River Padma.

Authorities removed ferries from the wharf for safety after the accident took place on Wednesday morning. Movement of launches and ferries have been suspended from Shimulia in Munshiganj and Banglabazar in Madaripur due to inclement weather.

Enamur said, "We are blessed that there is no possibility of Yaas to enter our country. This is primary information collected from the 14 district administrations. The details of losses and damages will be described in a press conference later."   

"Some 76,000 volunteers from the Cyclone Preparedness Programme along with those from scouts, Red Crescent Society, Ansar performed their duty to bring vulnerable people to shelter centres. They are also working for the wellbeing of coastal people," he said.

"Under Delta Plan 2100, all embankments will be built permanently and the task will be completed by 2030," the state minister also said.

"Before that, no project will be taken to build embankments on existing dams. But the repair work will go on if there are any chances of collapse," he added.  

The cyclone will go over Odisha and West Bengal. There is no way to enter Bangladesh over the land area.   

Maritime ports have been advised to keep hoist the local cautionary signal number three and vessels have been advised not to go to the sea until the signal is down.

Thousands wake up surrounded by water in Bagerhat

At least 3,000 families in south-western district Bagerhat have become stranded in submerged villages as the local rivers swelled up due to Yaas.

Locals of Khuriakhali village said they did not expect the local rivers to swell that much and submerge their houses.

"All of a sudden water inundated the villages on Wednesday morning," said Idrish Khalifa, a villager who took shelter by the road. "We will return home if the water recedes during the low tide. Otherwise, we will have to stay at the cyclone shelter," he added.      

The stranded villagers said they could not prepare the meals as the district administration distributed dry food items among them. The flooding suspended the road transport in many areas.  

Sharankhola villager Abul Kalam Shikder said the flooding has damaged the base of their houses too.

Another villager Jalil said cyclone-led flooding submerges them every time as there is no embankment to protect them.    

"The problem is we live in the coastal belt, and by the river," local union parishad Member Baccu Munshi sounded frustrated.     

Many of the coastal district people who live on shrimp farming said at least 2,000 farms were washed away in the flooding.       

Sharankhola Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sarder Mostafa Shahin said they have instructed the union parishad chairmen and members to list the people affected by the disaster. After preparing the list, the ministry will be notified accordingly.       

Bagerhat Additional Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Rezaul Karim said though the cyclone did not cause major devastation, they will remain alert until the inclement weather goes away.     

Tidal surge damages embankments in Khulna

Several villages have been flooded as the local rivers adjoining the Sundarbans in Khulna swelled by 3 to 4 feet Wednesday, and damaged embankments.

The flooding ruined the dams of the Water Development Board at least five points and submerged several villages. Embankments in Dakop and Paikgachha upazilas have also been damaged.

According to locals, the water level in Kopotakkho, Shakbaria, Pashur, Chunkundi, Dhaki, Shibsa, Kazibachha, Jhapjhapia and Manga rivers of Koyra and Dakop upazilas adjacent to the Sundarbans has risen by 3 to 4 feet due to cyclone Yaas and full moon.

Koira Sadar Upazila Chairman Humayun Kabir said the tidal surge overflowed the embankments on Tuesday night. The villagers tried to protect the dam immediately. Now they are panicked over fresh inundation on Wednesday night.

Khulna District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer Azizul Haque Joardar said, "The situation is now normal. People will be evacuated and taken to the cyclone shelters if the situation deteriorates."

Fishes worth Tk34 crore washed away in Satkhira

Fish farms at ten unions of Shyamnagar and Ashashuni Upazila of Satkhira were severely damaged due to Cyclone Yaas. Some 4,500 fish enclosures were washed away as water overflooded the embankments.

"The total losses amount to at least Tk34 crore," said Satkhira District Fisheries Officer Moshiur Rahman.

He feared the damages could mount up further as new areas can get flooded on Wednesday night too.

He said, "Cyclone Yaas caused more destruction than Cyclone Amphan. The fish in the enclosures were matured and almost ready for sales."

Devastation in West Bengal and Odisha  

At least two people died in Bengal's Digha – the coastal town was "swamped" by waves the height of a double-decker bus. One person died in Odisha as Cyclone Yaas made landfall. The Northern Odisha coast was battered by heavy winds.

Some 300,000 houses were damaged in West Bengal. Around 5.8 lakh people have been shifted from low-lying regions in Odisha and around 15 lakh from places along the Bengal coast, Indian media reported.

Temperature likely to fall with more rains  

In the next 24 hours until Thursday evening, light to moderate rain and thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty and squally wind is likely to occur at most places in Khulna, Barishal, Dhaka, Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions and at many places in Mymensingh, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions with moderately heavy to very heavy falls at places in the country.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department forecast temperature fall by one or two degrees in day time and slightly in night time.

Mild heat wave is sweeping over Sylhet division and the regions of Pabna, Kurigram, Kishoreganj and Feni may abate.