Bijli crosses coastal dists, five dead

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At least five people, including two children, were killed as Cyclone 'Bijli' struck the Bangladesh coast Friday night, said a food and disaster management ministry official Saturday, reports bdnews24.com.
Deputy Secretary of the ministry Md Sultan Ul Islam Chowdhury briefed reporters on the damage and death toll collated up to 5:00pm Saturday.
Over 600 houses and about 650 hectares of cropland were damaged by the tropical storm that made landfall overnight on the southeastern coast, he said.
He said good preparation was taken in 15 districts of the coastal areas to combat calamity.
"The cyclone hit three districts -- Chittagong, Cox's Bazar and Bhola -- where necessary relief materials are being sent."
Maritime ports were able to lower all danger signals as the storm passed over by afternoon, he added.
The five cyclone victims were: Mobarak Khatun (65), who died at Bashkhali cyclone shelter in Chittagong; Abdur Rahim (9) of Pekua in Cox's Bazar, who died as a tree fell; another child died at Cox's Bazar cyclone centre; retired school teacher Mohammad Ibrahim (55), who died of a heart attack at Kutubdia Upazila shelter; and Dulal Mia (40) of Hatiya in Noakhali who was struck by lightning.
Cyclone Bijli turned into a land depression early Saturday morning after striking the Chittagong-Cox's Bazar coastline overnight with winds of up to 100 kph.