Barisal, Bangladesh, November 16, 2007An elephant is employed to push a stranded bus as part of an effort to clear roads after Tropical Cyclone Sidr slammed into the Bangladeshi coast with winds of 140 miles (225 kilometers) an hour.

The storm swept heavy rains and high winds across the low-lying country on Thursday, leveling homes and forcing about 650,000 villagers to evacuate. At least 425 people are believed dead, according to the Associated Press.

Sidr weakened to a tropical storm on Friday, but uprooted trees, downed power lines, and other initial impacts of the tempest complicated relief efforts, AP reported.

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