[3] By 3 August, the main highway connecting Dhaka to the rest of the country was impassable,[4] many districts were flood-affected[5] and 500,000 people had been marooned.

[12] By 15 August, five million people were still displaced, the estimated death toll was nearly 500,[13] and all six of Bangladesh's divisions were affected.

Sidr formed in the central Bay of Bengal, and quickly strengthened to reach peak 1-minute sustained winds of 260 km/h (160 mph), making it a Category-5 equivalent tropical cyclone on the Saffir-Simpson Scale.

[20] The entire cities of Patuakhali, Barguna and Jhalokati District were hit hard by the storm surge of over 5 meters (16 ft).

[22] Much of the capital city of Dhaka was also severely affected, as electricity and water service were cut and significant damage was reported there due to winds and flooding.

[23] The local agricultural industry was also devastated, as many rice crops — which have a December harvest — were lost.

[23] Most of the deaths confirmed thus far were due to the winds, although 13 of them have been as a result of capsized boats in the Faridpur district of Bangladesh.