3 of a family among 9 dead as Cyclone Sitrang lashes Bangladesh

Nine people died in different districts due to the impacts of Cyclone Sitrang as the storm started crossing Bangladesh territory yesterday (October 24, 2022) evening.

Of them, three died in Cumilla, two in Bhola and one each in Narail, Shariatpur, Barguna and Dhaka.

Of the deceased, eight people died as branches fell on them while one person in Dhaka died as a wall collapsed on the victim.

In Cumilla, three members of a family-- a man, his wife and daughter died when a tree collapsed on their house in Hesakhal West para of Nangalkot upazila of Cumilla.

The incident happened around 9:00 pm last night (October 24, 2022), our Cumilla correspondent reports quoting UNO Raihan Mahbub. 

The local administration and people rescued and took them to the Upazila Health Complex where they died, he said.

In Bhola, two people died in Charfesson and Doulatkhan upazilas during the storm.

The deceased were identified as Monir (35) of Jajirgaj of Charfesson and Bibi Khadija (80) of Doulatkhan upazila, reports our Barishal correspondent.

Charfesson Upazila Nirbahi Officer Al Noman said during the cyclone, Monir died when a tree fell on his motorcycle beside a road next to his house in Jajirgaj area.

Khadija died when a tree fell on her house in ward- 5 area of Doulatkhan municipality, said Morad Hossain, officer-in-charge of Daulatkhan Police Station.

In Barguna, a 115-year-old woman named Amena Begum died in Burirchar area of the Sadar upazila after a tree fell on her house during the storm last night.

The incident happened around 8pm when the family members were preparing to take the old woman to a shelter near the house, local UP Chairman Adv Md Humayun Kabir told to our Patuakhali correspondent.

In Shariatpur, a woman, Safia khatun (65) died after a branch fell on her at Sidarchar village in Zajria upazila, UNO Kamrul Hasan Shohel told The Daily Star. 

In Narail, a woman, Marjina Begum (37) died after a branch fell on her due to heavy winds caused by Cyclone Stirang at Lohagara upazila yesterday at noon.

Quoting locals, Md Nasir Uddin, officer-in-charge of Lohagara Police Station, said the woman, who used to work as domestic help, came out of her house around noon to go to work. On her way, a branch of a tree fell on her near the Lohagara upazila parishad complex area, reports our Khulna correspondent.

In Dhaka, a rickshaw puller was crushed to death in the Hazaribagh area after a wall collapsed on him due to squally weather and gusty wind.

The deceased is yet to be identified, said Inspector Bachchu Miah, in-charge of Dhaka Medical College Hospital Police Outpost.