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'Thirty dead' in Calcutta cyclone | |
(about 4 hours later) | |
More than 30 people died when a cyclone lashed the Indian city of Calcutta and nearby areas, officials say. | |
Cyclonic storm Aila has now weakened and headed north. Many people are still reported to be missing. | |
The cyclone made landfall in south-western Bangladesh on Monday afternoon. Coastal areas were flooded and uprooted trees caused chaos in Calcutta. | |
Hundreds of thousands of people in Bangladesh and India were evacuated to temporary shelters. | |
West Bengal state's disaster management minister, Mortaza Hossain, told the BBC that more than 100,000 people had become homeless. | |
"We have rescued more than 100,000 people and sent them to safer places. We are now arranging dry food packets and drinking water pouches for them." | |
Fierce winds, measuring 100km/h (65mph), ravaged parts of Calcutta and adjoining districts. "We were in the eye of the storm," Mr Hossain said. | Fierce winds, measuring 100km/h (65mph), ravaged parts of Calcutta and adjoining districts. "We were in the eye of the storm," Mr Hossain said. |
The army and border guards were called out to rescue people and help provide relief in eight districts of the state hit by the cyclone, he said. | |
Rescue and relief | |
Twelve people died in the South 24 Parganas district that straddles the Sundarbans delta south of Calcutta. | |
Some 100,000 people have been evacuated to safer places | |
Most deaths occurred when the cyclone flattened mud houses. | Most deaths occurred when the cyclone flattened mud houses. |
Six people died in Calcutta when huge trees uprooted by the cyclone fell on buses, cars and auto-rickshaws. | Six people died in Calcutta when huge trees uprooted by the cyclone fell on buses, cars and auto-rickshaws. |
The rest of the casualties were reported from the districts of Howrah, Hooghly, Nadia, Bankura, North 24 Parganas and East Midnapore. | |
Calcutta police chief Gautam Moham Chakrabarty said teams from the municipal corporation were working to clear roads blocked by uprooted trees. | Calcutta police chief Gautam Moham Chakrabarty said teams from the municipal corporation were working to clear roads blocked by uprooted trees. |
Calcutta metro and train services were suspended after water flooded tracks in many places. | |
Massive tidal waves ravaged scores of coastal villages and the seaside resorts of Digha, Mandarmoni and Kanthi throughout Monday. | Massive tidal waves ravaged scores of coastal villages and the seaside resorts of Digha, Mandarmoni and Kanthi throughout Monday. |
In Bangladesh, flooding and tidal surges hit coastal areas, with strong winds forcing the closure of the main ports of Chittagong and Mongla. | In Bangladesh, flooding and tidal surges hit coastal areas, with strong winds forcing the closure of the main ports of Chittagong and Mongla. |
About 400,000 people were moved from five districts to cyclone shelters and schools before the storm hit, Bangladeshi officials said. | About 400,000 people were moved from five districts to cyclone shelters and schools before the storm hit, Bangladeshi officials said. |
A further 300,000 people were stranded in coastal villages, they said. | A further 300,000 people were stranded in coastal villages, they said. |