Tropical storm leaves at least 24 dead in Bangladesh
At least 24 people have died after Tropical Storm Sitrang lashed Bangladesh, leaving around eight million without power.
About 10,000 homes have been damaged and more than 6,000 hectares of crops destroyed, Bangladesh's government said. Thousands of fishing projects have also been washed away.
Around 20,000 people were trapped by flooding triggered by tidal surges in the southern coastal district of Bhola, according to United News of Bangladesh news agency.
The storm first developed in the Bay of Bengal - the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean - before heading north toward Bangladesh's vast coast.
Authorities evacuated hundreds of thousands of people to cyclone shelters on Monday as heavy rain battered the country throughout the day, flooding many areas in the coastal regions across southern and southwestern Bangladesh.
Divers recovered eight bodies after a dredger capsized in the Bay of Bengal on Monday night, said Minhazur Rahman, a government official in Mirshorai in Chattogram.
A couple and their four-year-old daughter died after a tree fell on their home while they were asleep, said Raihan Mehbub, a government official in the Cumilla district.
At least 13 others died in separate incidents across the country, Dhaka-based Somoy TV reported.
Most died after being hit by falling trees, while others died from collapsing structures or drowning, according to local media.
About eight million out of a total of 48 million electricity users remained without power after falling trees damaged distribution lines or electric poles were knocked over, mostly in rural areas, said Nasrul Hamid, junior minister for power and mineral resources.
The government halted operations by all river vessels in the country, closed three airports and asked fishing boats to return from the deep sea and remain anchored in the Bay of Bengal.
The storm weakened on Tuesday afternoon, with maximum sustained wind speeds of 40mph and wind gusts up to 53mph. The weather office in Dhaka said the danger has passed.
However, power distribution across the country will not return to normal until at least Wednesday, said Mr Hamid.
The low-lying nation is prone to natural disasters like floods and cyclones.
