State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid said on Tuesday around 80 lakh (8 million) people remained electricity-less across the country after Cyclone Sitrang hit the country, reports UNB.
“Of this, some 60 lakh (6 million) are under the Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) and the remaining consumers are under Nesco and WZPDCO,” he told the journalists at his ministry on Tuesday.
He noted that power supply to 70 percent of the affected areas will hopefully be restored by Tuesday evening while the rest 30 percent will get electricity by Wednesday afternoon.
Currently, the total power consumers are 4.8 crore (48 million) across the country.
Nasrul Hamid said the power supply was disrupted mainly by the falling of trees on the transmission and distribution lines.
In addition, many electric poles were uprooted by the cyclone that caused blackout in many areas, he said.
The state minister, however, added the total damage was not calculated yet.
“It will take some more time to get a complete picture of the damages caused by cyclone Sitrang”, he said.
Bd-pratidin English/Lutful Hoque
