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81 deaths confirmed: No report yet from islands

Star Report
At least 81 people died in Monday's cyclone in the southeastern coastal districts, officials confirmed yesterday.
They said the toll may rise when rescuers reach the off-shore islands, including the St. Martins, which remained unaccounted for as communication links remained disrupted. A Navy vessel was on its way to the island on the far southeastern tip of the country. ' The authorities are rushing relief to the areas, battered by the cyclone with winds of up to 250 kph and a 5-7 ft tidal surge.
Our Staff Correspondent Nurul Alam reported from Chittagong that of the 81 killed. 50 were in Chittagong city and its surrounding areas. 14 in Mo-heskhali, 5 in Chakaria. 7 in Cox's Bazar. 2 in Ramu. 2 in Ukia and one in Hatiya, according to official figures. The death toil may rise when details are available as rescuers are sifting through in rubbles in the city and surrounding areas.
Several thousand people were reportedly injured during the cyclone, according to reports received from different sources.
District control room officials in Chittagong said about 1 ten lakh people were rendered i homeless in Chittagong as ’ thousands of kutcha houses । were razed to the ground.
Many people were still staying at the cyclone shelters as their houses in the coastal parts were washed away, control room officials in Chittagong said.
Most areas of Chittagong city is still without power since Monday. Power is not likely to be restored in a couple of days, officials said. It created a serious crisis of piped water as pumps could not operate with’-out power.
However, the Chittagong air port and the port was functional again yesterday. Power was restored in 20 to 30 per cent areas, officials said. They added
that out of 38.000 telephone connections 9,000 were out of order and repair works were on.
State Minister for Labour and Manpower M A Mannan, looking after the disaster management told The Daily Star at Chittagong Circuit House yesterday morning that an estimated 2.5 million people in Chittagong were affected by the cyclone.
Officials said 23 platoons of Army along with ten medical teams had been deployed in the morning in the affected areas while another 34 platoons of soldiers remained stand-by. Troops from the Army and BDR joined other government personnel. carrying out relief and rescue operations and provide treatment to the wounded.
Divisional Commissioner of Chittagong Sakhawat Hossain said an initial requirement of relief including one lakh metric tonne of wheat, Tk 50 lakhs for rebuilding homes and 25.000 sarees was already communicated to the government.
Bangladesh had 34 cyclones and sea surges in past 36 years, the worst was in 1970. when half-a-million perished. The last devastating cyclone in 1991 killed 1.38.000 people.
In the wake of the cyclone, a freak tornado hit the coastal island of Moheskhali. killing six people and wounding 25 others Tuesday morning, bringing ,miseries to the islanders who braved the cyclone Monday.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. who cancelled a trip to Spain, flew to the affected areas in Chittagong and Cox's Bazar carrying four helicopterloads of
relief. Troops and policemen were deployed along with medics to help the people and provide relief.
UNB adds: Rescuers continued search for missing coast dwellers as officials so far confirmed 96 deaths.
Relief workers and independent sources feared that the figure could be higher when grim picture from the remote and inaccessible islands would be available.
Reports from St Martins island and other off-shore islands in the Bay were yet to be received.
Districtwise breakup of the death toll: Chittagong 63. Cox's Bazar 28. Barisal 1. Bhola 1, Noakhali 1 and Khagrachhari 2.
Officials, based on reports received till 6 pm. put the total number of injured to 7,074 and damage of houses more than 2 lakh.
Innumerable trees were uprooted, shrimp 'gers' washed away, salt beds inundated and crops destroyed by the cyclone.
Crop damage and cattle death were minimal, the officials said adding that some 1,048 cattle perished in the catastrophe.
This time, loss of life and property was less than previous natural calamities due to timely steps, awareness of people and absence of big tidal surge.
The entire government machinery have been working round the clock to provide relief and succour to the victims.