Nearly 190 people were killed in Bangladesh after two ferries capsized and houses collapsed in severe storms, it was reported today.
The toll included at least 100 people who died when a ferry sank in the Buriganga river. Another 52 were declared drowned after a boat carrying a wedding party capsized in the Kishoreganj district.
News reports also said at least 35 people were killed and 400 injured by lightning strikes, collapsing houses, falling trees and the sinking of small boats during the storms.
The MV Mitali, a double-decker ferry, had between 200 and 300 passengers on board when it went down during fierce rain storms Monday in the Buriganga.
"The death toll will definitely go up after the ferry is salvaged as some are trapped inside the vessel, a police official said. He said efforts to salvage the ferry had so far failed.
The number of passengers on board at the time of the sinking may never be known as the boat did not keep a list, a common omission in Bangladesh. Another officer said some bodies might have been swept away.
AFP