Death toll rises to 10 in Bangladesh as Cyclone Remal weakens

DHAKA, May 27 (Xinhua) -- At least 10 people were killed as Cyclone Remal slammed Bangladesh's coastlines and weakened to a tropical depression, said the country's State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Md Mohibur Rahman on Monday.

"We've come to know that 10 people were killed in six coastal districts due to the cyclonic storm," the official told a press conference in capital Dhaka.

Millions of people in 19 Bangladeshi districts have been affected by the powerful storm, he said, adding a total of 148,533 houses were fully or partially damaged.

According to him, a mass evacuation of nearly one million people, hours before the cyclone made landfall on Sunday night, prevented a greater loss of life.

Power supply was not restored in many cyclone-hit areas on Monday. Cities including the capital Dhaka are experiencing drizzle and gusty wind as an impact of the cyclone.

Bangladesh's coastlines have been battered by ferocious winds, which uprooted trees and homes, ripped roofs off buildings and caused widespread power and water outages.

Flood protection embankments were reportedly washed away or damaged in parts of the country's southern and southeastern regions which were hit hard by the cyclone.

Remal also disrupted rail, road and air traffic largely since Sunday.