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Cyclone death toll 51: Hundreds of fishermen still missing

By Special Correspondent
Rescuers are still scouring the Meghna estuary and the Bay for the missing fishermen hundreds of whom had failed to return home when authorities sounded alarms ahead of Saturday's devastating storm that claimed 51 lives in the southern coastal districts.
Our Staff Correspondent reported from Barisal last night that about 100 fishermen, part of a flotilla of about 36 fishing boats and trawlers with nearly 300 men. had returned to Bishkhali river near Barguna.
But others remained sUll unaccounted for. The survivors said they were fishing near the estuary of Bishkhali river when they were caught in the high winds and heavy rains that preceded the storm. They scurried for cover.
But the storm had scattered their flotilla and they could not say what happened to others.
Reports from Patuakhali said nine boats with about 80 fishermen still remained missing. Ten boats from Barguna and two from Bhola also remained missing. There was no report on the fate of some 600 missing fishermen in 40 boats and trawlers from Cox's Bazar.
Worried relations along with rescuers are still searching the souihern rivers that criss-cross the huge funnel shaped Meghna estuary which carries the combine flows of the Padma. Brahmaputra and the Meghna as well as numerous other fast running rivers.
Meanwhile, a cargo vessel. MV Najimuddin. carrying 750 tonnes of cement from Mongla port on its way to Dhaka ran aground at a shoal at Hijla-Mehendiganj of Barisal at 7-30 am yesterday.
The vessel had anchored at Latachapalighat of Mehendi-gani when storm warning was flashed. But it hit the shoal in the Meghna shortly after it started the journey for Dhaka. The vessel belongs to Joypara Shipping Lines.
Officials at the Disaster Management and Relief Control Room told The Daily Star last night that 30 people were killed in Bhola, which bore the brunt of the storm that lashed the district and its adjoining islands in the estuary, packing winds reaching upto 150 kmph.
In Luxmipur, 13 people died followed by Noakhali, 5; Bager-hat. 1; Patuakhali, 1 and Chandpur. 1. control room officials said, adding that 38 people were Injured and another 37 remained unaccounted for.
Officials said the storm that ravaged the southern coast affected 415.600 people of 81.700 families. A total of 1772 houses were destroyed and 13,090 damaged partially, crops in 9149 acres. 55-km of roads and 79 educational Institutions were also damaged.
The government has sanctioned 85 tonnes of rice. Tk 2.60.000 cash grants. 25000 pieces of saris and lungis and 500 tins of survival biscuits for the affected people. Besides, directives were given for distribution of 20 tonnes of rice and Tk 50,000 sanctioned earlier on an emergency basis.
The allocations were made and the directives were given yesterday at a secretariat meeting to assess the losses and relief requirements. State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Talukder Abdul Khaleque was in chair.
The meeting decided to sent high officials to the affected districts to help and oversee the relief operations, along with the respective deputy commissioners.