Cyclone Sidr -- now at 3,114, could reach 10 000

PATUAKHALI, Bangladesh (CNN) -- The death toll from one of the worst storms to strike the impoverished nation of Bangladesh has risen above 3,000, the nation's military said on Monday.

The number of dead killed from Cyclone Sidr -- now at 3,114 -- is expected to rise as the South Asian nation continues to assess the damage.
Speaking at a press conference Sunday, the chairman for the Bangladesh Red Crescent expressed concern that the death toll could surpass 5,000 -- perhaps even reaching as high as 10,000.

The Category 4 cyclone raked Bangladesh's southwest coast on Thursday with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph (241 kmh), destroying fishermen's hamlets and villages.
Thousands are still missing, while an estimated 280,000 others are unable to return to their homes which were wiped out by the storm.

Most houses in the region are made of flimsy materials such as bamboo and corrugated iron, and had no chance of withstanding the storm's powerful winds.

For the rest of this CNN article, go here.

Bangladesh cyclone death toll at 2,400

"Nothing is going to happen. That was our first thought and we went to bed. Just before midnight the winds came like hundreds of demons. Our small hut was swept away like a piece of paper, and we all ran for shelter," said Mridha, a 45-year-old farm worker, weeping.

On the way to a shelter, Mridha was separated from his wife, mother and two children. The next morning he found their bodies stuck in a battered bush along the coast.

The coast abounded with such grim tales following Tropical Cyclone Sidr — the worst cyclone to hit Bangladesh in a decade. Many grieving families buried their loved ones in the same grave because no male member was available to dig them.
By PARVEEN AHMED, Associated Press Writer

For more, go here.

ALERT: Very Severe Cyclone Heading For Bengal and Bangladesh (CAT 4)

West Bengal went on alert as meteorological department officials said a severe cyclone is likely to hit the coastal areas of the state late Thursday or early Friday morning.

''A very severe cyclone is expected to hit the eastern coastal zones of West Bengal and Bangladesh, affecting Orissa as well. A cyclone alert has already been sounded in South and North 24-Parganas, East and West Midnapore, Howrah and Hooghly districts,'' said an official of the Alipur met office.

Also read: Powerful Cyclone Headed For Bangladesh

Fishermen have been asked not to go out to sea.

''Widespread rain and thundershowers are expected at places in the Gangetic basin in West Bengal. And if it intensifies and remains on course, the cyclone may hit Kolkata also,'' the met official said, adding that a 'high alert' has been issued for Kolkata's Hooghly port.

The Shipping Corporation of India has indefinitely postponed departures from Kolkata port, reports said.

The US Consulate has issued a warning for American citizens living or travelling in the coastal areas of West Bengal and Orissa.

''This message is to update US citizens residing or travelling in Orissa and West Bengal regions of India of developments regarding cyclone Sidr, which is in the Bay of Bengal and headed towards the northern Bay of Bengal and Bangladesh,'' a statement issued by the consulate said.

''The Joint Typhoon Warning Centre forecasts the cyclone could make landfall as early as Thursday evening. The Tropical Storm Risk Centre has now classified cyclone Sidr as a category four storm with forecasted wind gusts of up to 225-280 kmph,'' it said.

The consulate also urged US citizens to monitor the progress of the storm in the local media ''as it can be expected to cause heavy rain, flooding, strong wind, damage to buildings and other possibly life threatening conditions.

''Americans in the region should immediately prepare for the possibility that they could be without power or communications and unable to move by road for some time if the storm hits their area. Airports and seaports are also likely to be closed,'' the warning said.

According to official estimates, the super cyclone that had hit the coastal areas of Orissa on October 29, 1999 had killed about 10,000 people and left 15 million homeless. Large swathes of the state's farmland were also destroyed in the disaster.

From NDTV.com

NVDL: The Atlantic has had a quiet hurricane season. Interestingly, the hotspots have been on land this time round in the US, with lakes drying up almost completely. So take your pick if you're an American. droughts, or city destroying hurricanes (that could hit or miss)? This is the gamble that faces more and more people wherever they are in the world. Cyclones are beginning to hassle us even here in South Africa, with the biggest threat being the continual carving of the KwaZulu Natal shoreline and extensive flooding.