Death toll from Bangladesh storms rises to 75

Bangladesh's death toll from this week's storms in the Bay of Bengal rose to 75 after rescuers recovered 17 more bodies.

Bangladesh's death toll from this week's storms in the Bay of Bengal rose to 75 after rescuers recovered 17 more bodies, news reports said on Saturday.

The bodies -- nine in Bagerhat district and seven others in Patuakhali -- were found late Friday and overnight, the Bengali-language daily Prothom Alo reported.

Nearly 1,000 people, including a naval commander, remain missing, as rough weather hampers the rescue operation, officials said.

Sudden storms this week capsized dozens of fishing boats in the Bay of Bengal, toppled houses and washed away roads and shrimp farms along the coast.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Navy rescuers continued to search for a commander who went missing at sea in the storms on Tuesday, but high waves coupled with strong winds and incessant rains were hampering the search, the officials said.