Nearly 200 Dead, 500K Displaced As Cyclone Slams Into Bangladesh, Sundarban Islands

[hatrack]

DHAKA - Nearly 200 people have been killed by a cyclone that ripped through Bangladesh and eastern India, while millions remained marooned by floodwater or forced to live in shelters.

The death toll in Bangladesh rose to more than 130 following recovery of dozens of bodies Tuesday, newspapers and private television channels said, while Indian officials said at least 64 people had died in West Bengal state.

Cyclone Aila slammed into parts of coastal Bangladesh and eastern India Monday, triggering tidal surges and flooding that forced people from their homes. Officials in both countries said they feared the death tolls would rise although relief and rescue efforts were being intensified. "Millions of people have been affected by the cyclone, with half a million in shelters and another half a million forced from their homes or were marooned," a disaster control official, who asked not to be identified, told Reuters in Dhaka.

Officials in Bangladesh moved about 500,000 people to temporary shelters after they left their homes to escape huge tidal waves churned by winds up to 100 kph (60 mph). Heavy rain triggered by the storm also raised river levels and burst mud embankments in the Sundarbans delta in the neighboring eastern Indian state of West Bengal.

EDIT

http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/53079

[Nihil]

1. Not too long before people will look back at this and reckon they got off lightly.

Only 200 dead? Still plenty of millions left so not really a problem.

Wait until things *really* start to bite ...

[pscot]

2. On the positive side

The monsoon is a bit early, and they need the rain.