Cyclone Fani: Rain to continue for another 6-8 hrs but no risk of 'more danger' in Bangladesh

The Meteorological Department on Saturday evening predicted that heavy downpour would continue for another six to eight hours.

After 21 hours of hitting Odisha in eastern India a day before, cyclone 'Fani' crossed over to Bangladesh in the morning, killing at least 14 people and leaving behind a trail of destruction -- uprooting scores of trees and damaging nearly 13,000 houses.

The National Disaster Response Coordination Centre said that over 53,000 acres of cropland were fully destroyed.

"This is the initial data we have gathered," GM Abdul Quader, Joint Secretary for the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, told The Daily Star.

So far, the government said to have distributed 3,800 metric tonnes of rice, (Bangladesh Taka) Tk 1.97 crore in aid and 41,000 packets of dried food among the victims.

Authorities said that Bangladesh is now completely out of any potential danger from cyclone 'Fani,' which has reduced down to a depression in the north.

"There is no more danger," Shamsuddin Ahmed, director of Bangladesh Meteorological Department, told The Daily Star on Saturday afternoon.

"We have lowered all the danger signals. Fani has lost its potency. It is unlikely to cause any further damage," he added.