'Protect us from cyclone'

It was very scary! The wind was howling. The roof was shaking. Trees were getting uprooted. The power was cut and everything went dark. It was 3am in the morning. No one could sleep because everyone was too frightened by the storm.

In Bangladesh we see storms on a regular basis. But this was the most horrifying I have ever seen in my life!

From midnight the power lines went down but were restored in our neighbourhood exactly twenty four hours later. As there was no TV due to the power outage we were glued to the radio listening to the hourly bulletins on state radio and the news on the BBC Bangla service. Tales were being told of complete destruction in the south. Words are merely enough to express the sorrow and sadness that has descended upon Bangladesh now.
Umran Chowdhury, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Although I live in a built up area in the capital, Dhaka, we could still feel the force of Sidr. Trees around our two-storey brick home were ripped up, and throughout the night we could hear tin (used as roof cover) flying or crashing around. Branches were flying everywhere and the sound of the wind was pretty horrible - it kept us awake most of the night. We had to spend close to five hours the next day cleaning up all the fallen leaves and branches.
Monwar Hussain, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Even from Dhaka, we could feel how terrible this cyclone was. Broken trees everywhere and after almost 24 hours of blackout, parts of Dhaka have electricity now. But most of the country is still in darkness.
Wahab Pahari, Toronto, Canada - currently in Dhaka, Bangladesh

I could feel the house shaking when the cyclone was crossing over Dhaka around 1 o'clock in the morning! I started praying!

This morning we wanted to see the news on TV, and then realised we don't have any power since last night. I was also thinking of having a tea to warm myself and my 70 years old mother, but we don't have any water supply either.

This is the situation in a "posh" residential area in Dhaka where the cyclone came when it was already tamed. I wonder how bad it must have been in coastal areas!
Reefat Imam, Dhaka, Bangladesh

It was the most terrifying night as panic spread like an epidemic disease. Most people in Chittagong were awake all night as strong gusts of wind created fear. But luckily the hurricane did not come with so much force in Chittagong. But casualties around the country are high.
Anika Bhuiyan, Chittagong, Bangladesh

'Protect us'

I live in Dhaka, the capital and we had experienced the worst of all storms I've experienced in my life. There has been no electricity through out the country till now (1420 local, 0820 GMT)
Shafi, Dhaka, Bangladesh

The wind was flowing so hard my roof was shaking like an earthquake... I pray to Almighty to protect us from this...
Mamun , Dhaka, Bangladesh

Throughout the night wind was so gusty and powerful that windows were jerking hard and the roaring wind along with heavy rain disrupted electricity supplies. Although the rain has stopped, the sky remains cloudy and electricity is still cut.
Md. Abdul Alim, Barisal, Bangladesh

I live in the northern side of Dhaka. It is 9:30 in the morning now. All night the wind has been raging so hard that I thought my window will shatter. The power has been out since 2 in the morning.

The storm was so strong around dawn that I thought that was it. Now I am reading that the storm will come in a few hours (around noon), and it is making me nervous. There are many untied things, debris, high rising construction sites, and cell phone towers here. I wonder if we in Dhaka are ready for this storm. For now the sky is gray and gloomy. And there is this beautiful calm. Now I know what is the calm before the storm.
K. Ashequl Haque, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Hurricane is hitting. The wind speed is about 200km/hour. I saw a light post is just collapsed before me. The electricity is gone. It is a very fearful environment
Mahmud, Chittagong