At least 500 people have been killed and thousands made homeless after a powerful tropical cyclone slammed into the southern coastal region of Bangladesh late Thursday, CNN reported, citing officials.

Local government officials across the region told CNN the death toll was expected to rise.

Hours earlier Nabiha Chowdhury, with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said: "The death toll is 169 and there will be further reports ... we don't know if it's going to increase, we're still getting reports continuously."

Cyclone Sidr's powerful winds, gusting to at least 131 mph (210 km/h), uprooted trees, leveled homes and even damaged buildings where residents sought shelter from the storm. Video from the height of the storm showed high, rolling waves along the coastal areas and winds lashing palms trees.

About 600,000 people were forced to evacuate, Chowdhury said. She put the total number of people in areas along the coast at about two million, but said it was difficult to estimate numbers because the region was popular with tourists.

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