Meta has committed more than Tk1.5 crore to Bangladesh Red Crescent Society and Brac to help them with rehabilitation efforts for the communities impacted by cyclone Sitrang. This commitment also includes funding to support disaster preparedness activities through Bangladesh Environment and Development Society in partnership with GlobalGiving. Sitrang has damaged at least 10,000 homes in Bangladesh, and about 1,000 shrimp farms were washed away in floods. These contributions, which are being made directly and from Meta's Crisis and Disaster Response Fund, will also go towards relief and disaster preparedness initiatives of the three Bangladesh-based non-profit organisations, the company said in a statement. "Our thoughts are with the people of Bangladesh who are recovering from the devastating effects of cyclone Sitrang. We hope that our contributions will support local organisations that are working hard to rehabilitate people who were impacted," Jordi Fornies, Meta's director for emerging markets in Asia Pacific, said. Read more: Cyclone Sitrang: Everything you need to know People often rely on online platforms to stay connected during and after natural disasters. After the cyclone hit Bangladesh, Meta created a Crisis Response page on Facebook where people can use the Community Help feature to request help or offer support, such as food, shelter, and emergency evacuations. The platform also activated Safety Check, which enabled people to let their friends and family know that they are safe. "Alongside connecting people, Meta’s platform Facebook also helped us to get real-time updates and information from the field. This hands-on information also enabled us to take effective decisions to support people in need in a timely manner. In addition, the financial assistance from Meta also contributed to our ongoing response and recovery effort for cyclone Sitrang and helped us to reach out to more people,” Kazi Shofiqul Azam, secretary general of Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, said. Meta is also giving $100,000 in ad credits to local organisations to support their campaigns related to crisis response. This will also help their future preparedness plans for climate-induced disasters in Bangladesh. "Communities living in the coastal areas of Bangladesh are at the forefront of devastating impacts of cyclones. Every year, the country is facing a new level of damage due to cyclonic storms. As such, cyclone Sitrang also left a trail of destruction in several coastal districts, including damage to shelters, croplands, and fish enclosures," Md Liakath Ali, director of the Disaster Risk Management Programme of BRAC, said. Read more: Cyclone Sitrang weakens into depression "BRAC acknowledges that disaster risk reduction requires support and humanitarian assistance to recover the losses. We thank Meta for its generous support in the wake of natural and human-caused crises, so that affected people will be able to meet their urgent necessities." According to a recent World Bank Group report, average tropical cyclones cost Bangladesh about $1 billion annually. The research suggests that over 13 million Bangladeshis may become internal migrants in the next 30 years due to climate impacts.  

Bodies of eight workers, who went missing after a dredger sank in the Bay of Bengal as Cyclone Sitrang hit the coastal districts Monday (October 24, 2022) night, were recovered from the Bay off the coast of Mirsarai in Chattogram on Tuesday. Five of the deceased were identified as Mahmud Molla, Alamin, Imam Molla, Abul Bashar and Tarek. They all are from Patuakhali district. Read Cyclone Sitrang kills at least 29 across Bangladesh The sand lifting dredger (Saikat-2) was anchored, with the eight workers on board, in the sea around 1000 feet away from the embankment in Bashundhara area of the upazila and sank in the sea during the storm triggered by Cyclone Sitrang around 10 pm last night, Md Kabir Hossain, officer-in-charge (OC) of Mirsarai Police Station, said. Mirsarai police and fire service divers recovered the bodies from the sunken dredger around 2 pm, the OC added. Read Cyclone Sitrang aftermath: 10,000 houses in 419 unions damaged, says state minister Dredger manager Rezaul Karim said six more dredgers were kept in the area adjacent to the embankment in Bashundhara area. “All the other workers managed to evacuate to a safe place following the cyclone, but the eight workers of the dredger Saikat-2 did not return.”

Around 10,000 houses in 419 unions in Bangladesh were damaged by Cyclone Sitrang that hit the coastal districts Monday (Octover 25, 2022) night, State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Md Enamur Rahman said today. Sitrang did not turn into a severe cyclone and crossed the coastal areas quickly, the state minister said while talking to reporters at the Secretariat regarding the aftermath of the cyclone. Read: Sitrang aftermath: Some areas in southern districts still without power “We have been able to provide shelter to 10 lakh people at 6,925 cyclone shelters. Cyclone Sitrang weakened quickly after hitting the coastal districts at 10 pm last night,” said Enamur. People have already left the shelters, he added. The state minister also said nine deaths have so far been reported after Cyclone Sitrang hit the country. Read: Cyclone Sitrang kills at least 16 across Bangladesh Cyclone Sitrang completed its landfall and weakened to a tropical depression over Bangladesh early Tuesday, according to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department.

At least 29 people died in 11 districts across Bangladesh as Cyclone Sitrang made landfall and crossed Barishal-Chattogram coast on Monday, leaving a trail of destruction. According to reports reaching the UNB desk from its correspondents in Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Brahmanbaria, Cumilla, Narail, Sirajganj, Bhola, Barguna, Munshiganj, Noakhali and Gopalganj, most of the casualties were caused by falling trees since Monday morning as Bangladesh experienced moderate to heavy rain throughout the day. In Chattogram, bodies of eight workers, who went missing on Monday night after a dredger sank in the Bay of Bengal, were recovered from the sea off the coast of Mirsarai on Tuesday. Five of the deceased were identified as Mahmud Molla, Alamin, Imam Molla, Abul Bashar and Tarek. They were residents of Patuakhali district. The sand lifting dredger--Saikat-2--was anchored, with the eight workers on board, in the sea around 1000 feet away from the embankment in Bashundhara area of the upazila. But it sank when the storm triggered by Cyclone Sitrang intensified around 10 pm on Monday, said Md Kabir Hossain, officer-in-charge (OC) of Mirsarai Police Station. Mirsarai police and fire service divers recovered the bodies from the sunken dredger around 2pm on Tuesday, the OC added. At Sitakunda in Chattogram, the body of a seven-month-old girl child was recovered from a shipyard in the Bay of Bengal near the Kadamarsul area on Tuesday morning, said Mahbub, sub-inspector (SI) of Kumira Naval Police. The body of the child was swept into the shipyard by the strong tide of the sea, he added. The body was later sent to Chattogram Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) morgue, the SI said. In Cox’s Bazar, two people, including a Myanmar national, died in Teknaf upazila during the cyclone. The deceased were identified as Myanmar national Shouming, 71, a cook of a ship, and Sohena, 9, a resident of the upazila. Myanmar national Shouming died after falling from the deck of the ‘Zabuaung’, a ship carrying goods from Myanmar to Teknaf port as the cyclone hit Bangladesh coast last night, said United Land Port Manager of Teknaf Land Port Md Jasim Uddin Chowdhury. Police recovered the body of Sohena,who went missing during the storm, from a pond of the upazila, said Hafizur Rahman, officer-in-charge (OC) of Teknaf Model police station. In Brahmanbaria, a man died and his wifewwas injured as a tree fell on their house during the storm in Kasba upazila early Tuesday, said Kasba Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Masud Ul Alam. The deceased was identified as Joynal Abedin Bhuiyan, a resident of the upazila. In Munshiganj, a 28-year-old woman and her four-year-old daughter were killed when a huge tree collapsed on them while they were asleep on Monday night at Kanakshar village in Louhajang upazila of the district. The deceased were identified as Asma Akter, wife of Abdur Razzak and Sumaiya Akter, said additional superintendent Munshiganj Police Yeasmin Ferdous. Razzak was also injured during the incident. He was taken to Dhaka for better treatment. In Noakhali, a one-year-old girl was killed and her mother was injured when a tree collapsed on them at Habibia village in Subarnachar upazila of the district early Tuesday. The deceased was identified as Sneha, daughter of Abdullah of the village. Debopriyo Das, officer-in-charge of Charjabbar Police Station, said the tree collapsed on their house when Amena Begum, 25 and her daughter Sneha were sleeping around 3 am during the storm. In Cumilla’s Nangalkot upazila, a couple and their four-year-old daughter died after a huge tree fell on their house at Hesakhal area on Monday night. They were asleep when it happened. MD. Raihan Mehbub, Nangalkot Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), said police rushed to the scene after the incident took place killing Nizam Uddin , his wife Sharmin Akter Shathi and their daughter Nusrat Akter Liza. The incident occurred around 10 pm when the wind speed was 60 kmph in Cumilla as the cyclone was making landfall, he said. A 35-year-old woman--Morzina Begum--was first reported to be dead as a tree fell on her head at Lohagara upazila complex in Narail around 11 am on Monday. Morzina hailing from Bagerhat used to work as a maid at Rajpur village in the upazila, said Md Nasir Uddin, Officer-in-Charge of Lohagara Police Station. During the incident her 11-year-old son was with her, but he survived, said the OC. In Sirajganj sadar upazila, a mother and her son died as their boat sank in a canal of Jamuna River on Monday night. The deceased were identified as Ayesha Siddka, 30, wife of Khokon Sheikh from Purbo Mohonpur village, and her son Arafat Rahman, 5, said Mosaddek Hossain, Officer-in-Charge of Bangabandhu Bridge West Police Station. Ayesha’s husband and two other children were rescued from the scene of the accident, he said. They were traveling home through the canal on a boat around 8 pm Monday when it capsized amid bad weather. Arafat died at the scene while Aysha was declared dead after being taken to a hospital, said the OC. In Bhola, five people died at Sadar, Doulatkhan, Lalmohan and Char Fasson upazilas, being crushed under trees and from drowning. The deceased were identified as Mofijul Islam, 60, and Nasir from sadar upazila, Bibi Khadiza, 20, from Doulatkhan upazila, Rabeya, 30, from Lalmohan upazila, and Monir, 30 from Char Fasson upazila, said Delwar Hossain, District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer. Mofizul died after a tree fell on his house on Monday night at Dhania union in sadar upazila and Bibi Khadiza also died being crushed under a tree. Monir was on a motorcycle when a tree branch fell, leaving him dead on the spot while Rabeya drowned. Nasir was electrocuted to death on Tuesday morning while removing a tree that had fallen on the road during the storm in Alinagar area of Bhola Sadar upazila, said Superintendent of Police Md Saiful Islam. In Barguna sadar upazila a 110-year-old woman died while having dinner as a tree fell on her house at Sonakhali village. She was alone in the house and died instantly, said Humayun Kabir, local Union Parishad Chairman. In Gopalganj district two women were crushed under trees at Tungipara upazila. The deceased were Sharmin,25, wife of Rezaul from Patgati union and Rumisa, 65, wife of Hanna Talukder from Banshbaria union. Sharmin died on Monday night as a tree fell on her at Panchkahania village during a storm while Rumisa got crushed under a tree at her home at Dumuria village, said Minhazur Rahman, District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer. He said their families will get Tk 25,000 as assistance, Tk 6000 for rehabilitation and tin sheets.

The low-lying areas of Bhola district have been inundated due to tidal surges and heavy rainfall, caused by cyclone Sitrang, rendering over 20,000 people marooned. The affected people of the areas have been asked to take shelter in cyclone centres, said Bhola district relief and rehabilitation official Delwar Hossain. He said adequate dry foods have been prepared for the people in shelters. "Besides, 25 metric tonnes of rice and Tk 5 lakh have been allotted." Read Fisherman goes missing as trawler capsizes at Mongla port, 21 rescued Meanwhile Bhola deputy commissioner Md Towfiq Elahi Chowdhury said a total of 746 cyclone centres were kept ready to face the disaster. "Eight control rooms have been opened in seven upazilas." Besides, 13,660 volunteers as well as 76 medical teams are working at the field level. "Coast Guard rescue teams are also ready to deal with any post-disaster situation," said Lt Kazi Al Amin, media officer of BCG East Zone. Read 110 evacuated from isolated char in Bhola ahead of Sitrang landfall On Monday (October 24, 2022), Bangladesh Coast Guard (BCG) evacuated 110 people from Char Patila, an isolated island of Bhola. They were stranded in the middle of adverse weather conditions accompanying cyclone Sitrang.

Different roads in Dhaka went under water due to heavy rains triggered by Cyclone Sitrang, causing traffic gridlock that left no options for commuters but to suffer terribly. Md Omar Faruq, a meteorologist of Bangladesh Metrological Department, told UNB that 255 mm rains were recorded in 24 hours till 6 am on Tuesday (October 25, 2022). As Sitrang hit the country’s coastal areas on Monday (October 24, 2022) night, nearly all parts of Bangladesh including the capital experienced heavy rains and storm that uprooted trees or killed people and disconnected power transmission lines. Read Cyclone Sitrang: Dhaka-Khulna & Dhaka-Barishal highways reopen after 10 hours City Corporation workers were seen removing uprooted trees from Dhaka roads in the morning. Office-goers and others remained stuck on roads for hours in the morning as traffic movement was slow due to waterlogging.

Dhaka-Khulna and Dhaka-Barishal highways were thrown open on Tuesday (October 25, 2022) morning, nearly 10 hours after remaining closed for vehicular movement in the wake of uprooted trees blocking several stretches during Cyclone Sitrang. Around 8:30 pm on Monday, the front part of the cyclone started lashing Bangladesh, uprooting trees. "As the fallen trees blocked at least 80km areas on the two highways, the movement of vehicles had to be suspended," said Taimur Alam, officer-in-charge of Bhanga highway police station. On Tuesday, around 7am, vehicular movement resumed on the two highways after highway police and fire service removed the fallen trees after the rain and storm stopped, said the OC. Read Dhaka office-goers stuck in gridlock, traffic jam from Khilkhet to Abdullahpur During heavy rains and storm influenced by the cyclone, trees broke down in the Talma Pukuria area on the Dhaka-Barishal highway and in Majhra, Majhigati, Risatala, Joy Bangla, Kailar Mor, Mansurabad on the Dhaka-Khulna highway, said police and fire officials. Cyclone Sitrang crossed the Barishal-Chattogram coast near Bhola on Monday midnight and weakened rapidly into a depression by giving precipitation, the met office said in its latest bulletin. Sitrang moved north-northeastwards very fast and completed crossing the Barishal-Chattogram coast, and it now lies over Dhaka-Cumilla-Brahmanbaria and adjoining areas as a land depression, said Bangladesh Meteorological Department. Read Cyclone Sitrang weakens into depression

Cyclonic Sitrang crossed the Barishal-Chattogram coast near Bhola around midnight on Monday (October 24, 2022) but weakened rapidly into a depression by giving precipitation, the weather department said in its latest bulletin on Tuesday. Sitrang moved north-northeastwards very fast and crossed the Barishal-Chattogram coast, and now lies over Dhaka-Cumilla-Brahmanbaria and adjoining areas as a land depression, according to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD). The maritime ports of Mongla, Payra, and Chattogram have been advised to lower danger signal number 7 and hoist local cautionary signal number 3 instead. Read 110 evacuated from isolated char in Bhola ahead of Sitrang landfall Meanwhile, the maritime port of Cox’s Bazar has been advised to lower danger signal number 6 and hoist local cautionary signal number 3. Under the influence of the new moon phase and steep pressure gradient, the low-lying areas of the coastal districts of Satkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat, Jhalokathi, Pirojpur, Barguna, Patuakhali, Bhola, Barishal, Laxmipur, Chandpur, noakhali, Feni, Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar and their offshore islands and chars are likely to be inundated by the wind-driven surge height of 3-5 feet above the normal astronomical tide. All fishing boats and trawlers over the north Bay and deep sea have been advised to remain in shelter until further notice. Read Cyclone Sitrang: Educational institutions in 3 divisions declared closed The front part of the cyclone started lashing Bangladesh from Monday evening, while its centre made its landfall in the early hours of Tuesday. The maximum sustained wind speed within 54 kilometres of the cyclone’s centre at that point was about 62 kilometres per hour rising to 88 kilometres per hour in gusts or squalls. As Sitrang started lashing the country’s coastal areas, nearly all of Bangladesh suffered under inclement weather with uprooted trees or falling branches killing people and disconnecting power transmission lines, and incessant rainfall causing waterlogging in urban areas. Read Cyclone Sitrang: Many areas in Dhaka, Narayanganj plunge into darkness following disruption in power supply Authorities scrambled to move at risk populations to the nearest of some 7,000 cyclone shelters that were opened up, mostly in the 19 coastal districts. According to reports coming in late on Monday night, over 2 lakh people were evacuated to these shelters by the time of Sitrang’s landfall. Authorities in the three southern divisions, meanwhile, declared the closure of all educational institutions till further notice, with some of their premises pressed into operation as cyclone shelters. Most parts of the country, including Dhaka, witnessed moderate to heavy rains throughout Monday under the impact of the cyclonic storm. Read Cyclone Sitrang: Fire service on high alert, opens monitoring cell Authorities prepared more than 7,000 cyclone shelters to evacuate people, while all fishing boats and trawlers over the north Bay and deep sea have been asked to remain anchored. Authorities in Chattogram and other hilly districts warned that landslides could occur if continuous downpour continued. UNB correspondents from across the southern coastal region reported heavy rains and tidal surges since Monday morning. Meanwhile, many areas in capital Dhaka and neighbouring Narayanganj plunged into darkness, following a huge disruption in power supply that authorities blamed on Cyclone Sitrang. Read IGP orders police to be alert in dealing with impact of Sitrang According to officials of the Dhaka Power Distribution Company Limited (DPDC) and Desco, the two entities which control the distribution network in Dhaka and Narayanganj, many areas experienced blackouts for hours following a fault in the Sympur, Ulan and Maniknagar grid line. “Due to the grid disruption, power supply went off in Dhanmondi, Sher-e-Banglanagar, Kakrail, and Kajla in Dhaka city and also in some areas in Narayanganj city," Bikash Dewan, managing director of DPDC, told UNB. He said many areas also experienced blackouts due to the collapse of trees on the power distribution lines due to the impact of cyclone Sitrang. Read Cyclone Sitrang: Power entities open control rooms

Due to the emergencies arising out of the impact of Cyclone Sitrang, educational institutions in three coastal divisions have been declared closed till further notice. All educational institutions in Chattogram, Barishal and Khulna divisions are covered under the declaration of the Education Ministry issued on Monday (October 24, 2022). The Ministry also gave instructions to use the educational institutions in the cyclone-affected areas as shelter centres, it added. Public schools and health complexes in Bangladesh are designed to double up as shelter centres during emergencies. Read Cyclone Sitrang weakens into depression Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is said to be monitoring developments centering the cyclone round the clock, and issuing necessary instructions to the government officials to mitigate its impact. “The prime minister is giving various directives to different ministries, directorates and other government offices round the clock,” PM’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim told UNB. Also read: Cyclone Sitrang: Many areas in Dhaka, Narayanganj plunge into darkness following disruption in power supply

Many areas in Dhaka and Narayanganj cities plunged into darkness following a huge disruption in power supply that authorities blamed on the approaching Cyclone Sitrang.   According to officials of the Dhaka Power Distribution Company Limited (DPDC) and Desco, the two entities which control the distribution network in Dhaka and Narayanganj, following a fault in Sympur, Ulan and Maniknagar grid line, many areas experienced blackouts for hours.   “Due to the grid-disruption, power supply went off in Dhanmondi, Sher-e-Banglanagar, Kakrail, and Kajla in Dhaka city and also some areas in Narayanganj city," Bikash Dewan, managing director of DPDC, told UNB.   Read Cyclone Sitrang weakens into depression   He said many areas also experienced blackouts due to the collapse of trees on the power distribution lines due to cyclone Sitrang.   Some 32 teams of DPDC have been working to restore supply in the disrupted areas, he added.   He also said that power supply came down to 700 MW from 1,400 MW following the disruption in some grid lines in DPDC areas.   As a result, consumers have been experiencing loadshedding despite relatively cool weather, he said.    Read Cyclone Sitrang: Educational institutions in 3 divisions declared closed   Desco managing director Kausar Ameer Ali noted that power supply was disrupted in Uttara, Gulshan and Mirpur areas.   “Mainly falling of trees and flying construction materials and other objects over the distribution lines led to the disruption in Desco areas,” he noted.   A good number of Desco teams are working to fix the problems and restore power supply, he added, saying consumers in his area have been experiencing loadshedding since evening due to lower supply against the demand.   Read 110 evacuated from isolated char in Bhola ahead of Sitrang landfall