Dead, Displaced in Bangladesh due to Devastating Cyclone Strang

Cyclone Sitrang swept across the coast of Bangladesh on Tuesday, killing at least 9, destroying homes, uprooting trees, disrupting roads, and cutting power and communication lines.

Officials said that mass evacuations before the cyclone made landfall on the western coast of Bangladesh helped save lives, but the extent of the losses and damages cannot be fully determined until communications are fully restored, according to "Reuters".

"It was awful, it seemed like the sea was coming to take us so people had a sleepless night, all they could do was pray," said Mizanur Rahman, a resident of Bhola island, after restoring contacts in the area where he lives.

The cyclone started from the Bay of Bengal, with winds of up to 88 kilometers per hour and waves of about three meters high that inundated low-lying coastal areas.

Officials said power and telephone lines were largely cut and coastal areas were darkened.