Cyclone Hamoon hits Bangladesh: Two die, over 275,000 seek shelter

Dhaka: In the wake of Cyclone Hamoon’s arrival, a significant number of Bangladesh’s residents, approximately 275,000 individuals, sought refuge in shelters on Wednesday. The cyclone’s impact has already claimed the lives of at least two people, according to officials.

Cyclone Hamoon has pounded the southeastern coast of Bangladesh, adding to a growing list of severe weather events in the low-lying South Asian nation. Climate change has intensified these storms, making them more powerful and destructive.

As Cyclone Hamoon made landfall, power lines were severed, and coastal communities and islands endured heavy rainfall. However, there have been no widespread reports of major damage, as stated by Kamrul Hasan, the secretary of the disaster management ministry, in conversation with AFP.

Hasan reported, “We evacuated 273,352 people to cyclone shelters,” and added that two fatalities had occurred—one individual was tragically crushed by a fallen tree, and another perished when a building collapsed. Approximately ten others sustained injuries and are currently receiving medical treatment.

According to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department expert Muhammad Abul Kalam Mallik, Cyclone Hamoon made landfall in the Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar coastal districts in the early hours of Wednesday, bringing wind speeds of up to 104 kilometers (65 miles) per hour.

Mallik also noted that the cyclone is expected to move further inland and gradually weaken.

Importantly, Bangladesh’s southeastern coast is home to nearly one million Rohingya refugees who fled Myanmar and now reside in fragile tarpaulin shelters. Fortunately, these refugee camps were not in the cyclone’s main path.

Also Read: Cyclone Hamoon Makes Landfall, To Weaken Into Depression In Next 6 Hours

Despite the storm’s impact, district officials in Cox’s Bazar lost contact due to a power outage late on Tuesday, making it difficult to obtain updates on potential damages.

Climate change has amplified the intensity of tropical storms, leading to increased rainfall and stronger gusts, resulting in flash floods and coastal destruction, according to experts. In May, Cyclone Mocha became the most potent storm to hit Bangladesh since Cyclone Sidr in November 2007, which claimed over 3,000 lives and inflicted billions of dollars in damages.