Officials cautioned that the death toll could rise as communications were restored. Fani crossed over India’s West Bengal state and moved northeast toward Bangladesh on Saturday, weakening from a severe cyclonic storm to a cyclonic storm. At least a dozen people had been confirmed killed in Bangladesh as the cyclone hovered over the country’s southwestern coast early Saturday, delivering battering rain storms. However, the death toll had not increased by Saturday afternoon, suggesting effective preparedness in Bangladesh as well. The relatively low casualty count demonstrates much improved disaster readiness in India since 1999, when a “super” cyclone killed around 10,000 people and devastated large parts of Odisha.

Source: Washington Post May 04, 2019 07:58 UTC