Five killed as Hamoon lashes Ctg

The cyclonic storm Hamoon lashed the southern part of Chattogram district on Tuesday night, leaving behind a trail of destruction in Banshkhali, Chandanish, and Satkania upazilas.

Two women were killed and more than 85 were injured due to the cyclone, while hundreds of homes were damaged in the three upazilas.

One of the women, aged 70, died in Banshkhali upazila, while the other, aged 65, died in Satkania upazila when uprooted trees fell on them, according to Chattogram district administration.

With the two deaths, five persons were killed in total as Hamoon crossed the Cox's Bazar and Chattogram coasts early yesterday.

The storm also snapped electricity connections in the three upazilas, leaving thousands of residents in darkness amid inclement weather. 

"We are working to restore both road communication and electricity connection as soon as possible," said Banshkhali UNO Jesmin Akhter.

"At least 85 electric poles were damaged by the cyclone in the southern part of the district in Satkania, Chandanish and Banshkhali upazilas. Our engineers and staffers are working to restore the electricity connections," said Dilip Chandra Chowdhury, senior general manager engineer of Chattogram Palli Biddyut Samiti-1.

Md Saifullah Mazumdar, Chattogram district relief and rehabilitation officer, said Hamoon destroyed 284 houses completely and damaged 4,784 houses partially in 25 unions under the district.

In Cox's Bazar, hundreds were left homeless as their  shanties were damaged, while trees were uprooted and electric poles broken, as the cyclone hit the coastal district around 7:00pm on Tuesday.

Electricity supply in Cox's Bazar and other adjoining areas have also been disrupted since Tuesday evening and was yet to be restored when filing this report.

Shaheen Imran, deputy commissioner of Cox's Bazar, said around 250 earthen houses in the town's Samitypara were damaged in the cyclone.

Asheq Ullah Rafique, lawmaker of Cox's Bazar- 2 (Moheshkahli-Kutubdia), corroborated the same.

He, however, said the actual extent of damage was yet to be ascertained.

While visiting the Samitypara area, this correspondent found many households damaged partially or completely, while hundreds of trees were uprooted.

People were seen cutting branches of uprooted trees to restore their homes, mainly constructed with tin and bamboo.

Rahima Khatun, a housewife in Samitypara, said the cyclone destroyed all her belongings, and she has nothing to eat or drink. "We saved ourselves by taking shelter in a neighbour's house," she added.

Bibhisan Kanti Das, additional deputy commissioner (general), said people are demanding tin to rebuild their homes.