Living under open sky for six days

At least 12 families have been living under the open sky for the past six days in Kutuba union under Bhola's Borhanuddin upazila after becoming homeless as Cyclone Remal left a trail of destruction in the district.

Visiting Chhota Manika village in the union on Friday, this correspondent saw Kawsar Gazi, 70, and his wife Nurjahan Begum cooking rice and lentils in front of the remnant of their house.

"Before the cyclone lashed here on May 27 midnight, we had taken shelter at a house near the embankment. We could not take anything from the house with us. When we returned, we found our tin-shed house completely destroyed and all our belongings washed away," said their granddaughter Amena Begum, 15.

"Since then, we have been living under the open sky for past six days. We only got 30 kilogrammes rice as relief," said Nurjahan Begum.

Kawsar Gazi pleaded the authorities to provide them with assistance to rebuild their house.

At least 181 houses were partially and 37 completely damaged in the cyclone in Borhanuddin upazila, said Md Raihan-Uzzaman, upazila nirbahi officer.

"We have already distributed relief among the victims in the upazila. We are now preparing a list of those whose houses were destroyed to provide them with assistance to rebuild the houses. Kawsar Gazi's name is on the list," the UNO added.