26 May,2009 02:19 PM IST | | IANS
The death toll from Cyclone Aila, which hit Bangladesh on Monday, rose to 62 on Tuesday following recovery of 44 more bodies from various storm-battered coastal districts, ATN Bangla TV channel reported.
Cyclone Aila hit the south-western coast on Monday afternoon, killing at least 18 people as per initial reports and washing away several thousand homes.
Wind-driven tidal surge inundated vast tracts of land, Star Online said.
Four people in Bhola, three each in Khulna, Patuakhali, Noakhali, Laxmipur, one in Barguna and a child in Barisal died, while a few hundred thousand people were marooned in the affected areas.
Over 500 people, mostly fishermen, were reported missing.
With winds of up to 90 km an hour, the storm roared into Khulna, Satkhira, Patuakhali, Bagerhat, Barisal, Barguna, Pirojpur, Jhalakathi, Laxmipur, Jessore and Bhola around 2 pm on Monday.
Thousands of people were left homeless as tidal waves leaping up to 13 feet high rolled on to those coastal districts. The waves damaged river and flood-control embankments and dykes, submerging many villages in Khulna, Satkhira, Patuakhali and Barisal.
A large number of domestic animals and standing crops were lost in the surge.
Food and Disaster Management Minister Abdur Razzak officially confirmed five deaths in Bhola and Patuakhali, The Daily Star said.
