Dhaka, May 27 (UNI) Cyclone Remal that caused the death of at least one person in India, also wreaked havoc in parts of Bangladesh with heavy rain and strong winds killing at least seven.

The deaths were reported from five southern and southeastern Bangladeshi coastal districts after the cyclone made landfall on Sunday night. Two people have also been reported missing.

Strong winds and storm surged along the coasts of southern Bangladesh and neighbouring West Bengal after the storm came ashore at 8 p.m. local time, Md Shamim Ahsan, deputy director of the Cyclone Warning Center at the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), told Xinhua.

The cyclone damaged crops in about a dozen coastal districts. At least 800,000 people from the 10 most vulnerable districts have already been evacuated to shelters.

Television stations Monday showed widespread flooding in coastal areas of Cox's Bazaar, Chattogram, Patuakhali and other districts.

Power supply snapped in the coastal areas in Bangladesh after the fierce winds uprooted electricity poles and left wires tangled with logs and twigs. It reportedly left 15 million people without electricity.

Bangladeshi State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Md Mohibur Rahman said they have taken adequate measures to support the affected people.

In a bulletin on Monday, BMD said Remal has already weakened and was gradually reduced to a depression.
UNI/XINHUA ARN SY ING