Cyclone ‘Sitrang’ Weakens: 7 Killed In Bangladesh, Red Alert For 4 Indian States

Bhubaneswar: At least seven people were killed in Bangladesh after Cyclone ‘Sitrang’ hit parts of the country late on Monday night.

The deceased persons were identified as residents of Barguna, Narail, Sirajganj, and the island district of Bhola, said AFP quoting disaster ministry control room spokesperson Nikhil Sarker.

Cyclone ‘Sitrang’ made landfall between Tinkona Island and Sandwip near Barisal in Bangladesh between 9.30 pm and 11.30 pm on Monday with a sustained wind speed of 80 to 90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) informed. The system crossed the Bangladesh coast after skirting the West Bengal coast.

It weakened into a deep depression and lay centred at 2.30 am over Bangladesh about 90 km northeast of Dhaka, 60 km north-northwest of Agartala, according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).

Following this, the remnant of cyclonic storm ‘Sitrang’ further weakened into a depression and lay centered at 5.30 am over northeast Bangladesh and its neighbourhood about 90 km north-northeast of Agartala, and 100 km south-southwest of Shillong.

The weather in south Bengal districts is likely to improve from Tuesday forenoon, the IMD added.

Notably, IMD has issued a red alert for four North Eastern states of India indicating heavy to very heavy and extremely heavy rainfall in Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Tripura.

“Under Sitrang influence, widespread rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms/lightning/heavy to very heavy and extremely heavy rain at isolated places is very likely to occur over Tripura on 24th & 25th October 2022,” IMD said in a press release.

Disaster Management Authorities in Meghalaya have kept on high alert as the system is likely to bring heavy rain in many parts of the state. In at least four districts bordering Bangladesh, the administration directed the authorities to keep all educational institutes shut on Tuesday in view of the cyclone.

The districts are East and West Jaintia Hills, East Khasi Hills, and South West Khasi Hills. Other districts were directed to keep all field officers alert at all times, monitor the situation, and report in case of emergency.