Nearly 200 people have been killed by a cyclone that ripped through Bangladesh and eastern India, while millions remained marooned by floodwater or forced to live in shelters.
Calcutta, May 25: At least 300 captive deer were swept away as the cyclone battered the fragile Sunderban mangroves and foresters were worried that there might have been heavy losses to wildlife.
A cyclone slammed into parts of Bangladesh and eastern India on Monday, triggering tidal surges and flooding that forced some half a million people from their homes and killed almost three dozen people.
Storm officials in coastal Bangladesh moved about 500,000 people to temporary shelters after they left their homes to escape huge tidal waves churned by winds up to 100 kph (60 mph).
Ananya Dutta
KOLKATA: Twenty-three persons were killed when a severe cyclonic storm accompanied by heavy rain brought by Cyclone Aila lashed the city and some districts of West Bengal on Monday. The death toll could be higher: reports from the districts were only coming in. Many people were injured.
Law enforcing agencies with the cooperation of coast guards have recovered smuggled timbers worth TK 20 lakh and seized two trawlers in a week from Swarupkathi region under Pirojpur district.
Incidents of killings by Sundarbans tigers and deaths of man-eating feline are going on around the mangrove forest as for years as the authorities concerned remain indifferent to saving their lives.
KOLKATA, 18 MAY: The Institute of Environmental Studies and Wetland Management (IESWM) under the state environment department has undertaken a study to measure the rise in sea level in the Sunderbans every year. This, the authorities believe would save some islands in the region from inundation.
KATAMARI (West Bengal): Sudhangsu Betal of this village in the Sunderbans still treasures the pugmarks of the Royal Bengal Tiger that strayed into his home a few months ago. His voice is choked for, the tiger later died in the custody of Forest department officials.
