DHAKA, May 28, 2009 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- More than 1,100 people are still missing after the cyclone Aila hit Bangladesh's southwestern coast on Monday which has already left at least 131 people dead, officials said on Thursday.
Ashrafuzzaman, official of the control room under the Food and Disaster Management Ministry, told Xinhua on Thursday that they have been confirmed by local officials of the affected districts that 1,123 people are still missing after Monday's cyclone.
Spokesman of the ministry Golam Kibira also confirmed the figure with Xinhua over phone.
Ashrafuzzaman said 131 people have been confirmed dead so far while 6,500 others were injured and nearly 3.5 million people affected.
Besides, nearly 1 million people are still staying in shelters.
The cyclone Aila formed in the Bay of Bengal crossed Bangladesh 's southwestern coast on Monday afternoon with speed of 70-90 kilometers per hour, triggering abnormally high tidal surge and heavy rains in the coastal region.
This was the biggest natural calamity in Bangladesh after cyclone Sidr battered the country's southwestern coastal belt on Nov. 15, 2007 leaving more than 4,000 dead or missing.
The Bangladeshi government has allocated 22.3 million taka ( about 318,571 U.S. dollars) in cash and 10,000 tons of rice to the affected areas.
