The storm hit southern districts including Patuakhali, killing at least six people and injuring dozens more.

Falling trees caused several deaths and high-speed winds and torrential rain flattened hundreds of mud and straw huts.

The Janakantha and other daily newspapers reported on Sunday that 17 people died from the collapse of houses and trees, drowning and electrocution.

Several towns and low-lying areas, including parts of the capital, Dhaka, were flooded by tidal surges.

In the neighbouring Indian state of West Bengal, authorities have begun evacuating thousands of people from coastal districts following warnings of a possible cyclone.

Devastating floods have left thousands without drinking water

A boat operator in the Cox's Bazar area told Reuters news agency that 52 fishermen drowned on Saturday in a storm in which wind speeds reached 100kph (62mph).

"We could rescue only eight people when four boats with 60 fishermen capsized and sank," Paritosh Pal said.

Another boat owner said as many as 800 fishermen in 50 boats had not yet returned to port.

Neither report has been confirmed.

The Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, was paralysed by the storm and heavy rainfall.

Busy roads were flooded and schools were closed as six inches (15 cm) of rain fell in six hours.

Worst flooding in decades

This storm comes before waters from recent floods have had time to recede.

Since mid-September, the worst floods in more than 20 years have left more than 100 dead and two million homeless in Bangladesh.

In West Bengal, more than 750 people were killed in floods that affected about 16 million people.

The flooding has caused widespread homelessness and disease, and vast amounts of farmland have been damaged.

The flooding sparked angry feuding between Bangladesh and India, and between the government and the opposition within Bangladesh.

Bangladeshi authorities said India had worsened Bangladesh's flooding by opening dams in West Bengal.