DHAKA, Sept 20: Storms caused by a depression in the Bay of Bengal have killed more than 60 people in eastern India and Bangladesh and left hundreds of fishermen missing at sea, officials said on Wednesday.

Thousands of people have been left homeless.

Most of the deaths came in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, where heavy rains and strong winds caused flash floods. More than 31 people have been killed since Monday night, most from drowning and house collapses.

In West Bengal state in India’s east, at least 12 people were killed after a storm hit on Tuesday night. Hundreds of trawlers were reported missing and authorities said more 15,000 people had been left homeless.

“Some people died in their sleep when their houses were hit by the storm,” an official of the West Bengal government said.

In Bangladesh, 18 fishermen were drowned and more than 80 unaccounted for and feared dead after they were caught in rough seas and strong winds on Tuesday night.

A naval vessel, with 40 crew, ran aground at an island off Mongla port during the storm. The crew were rescued on Wednesday by a navy helicopter and three coastguard vessels.

But the coast guard said it was waiting for the sea to calm before launching major rescue operations for the missing fishermen.—Reuters