First cyclone of season hits Bangladesh

CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh, April 17 (UPI) -- Cyclone Bijli came ashore in Bangladesh late Friday bringing high winds, rain and the first storm of the new cyclone season.

A falling tree crushed and killed a 9-year-old boy, Abdur Rahim, in Cox's Bazaar, a coastal district south of Chittagong, Bangladeshnews24 reported. His 12-year-old sister was injured.

Local officials said 200,000 people were forced out of their homes in Chittagong and Cox's Bazaar. In Chittagong, the airport and harbor were shut down.

Power was knocked out in many areas around the region as winds of up to 65 mph brought down trees and utility poles. High tide was about 10 feet above normal because of the storm surge.

The storm began losing strength rapidly as it moved inland toward the state of Tripura in eastern India.