The maritime ports of Mongla and Payra have been advised to hoist great danger signal number 10 as Cyclone Amphan is all set to slam the coastal districts on Wednesday afternoon or evening.

‘Amphan’ centred at 6 am on Wednesday about 565 km southwest off Chattogram port, 545 km southwest off Cox’s Bazar port, 390 km southwest off Mongla port and 410 km southwest off Payra port, said a Met office bulletin.

It is likely to move in a north-northeasterly direction and may cross West Bengal-Bangladesh coast near the Sundarbans this afternoon or evening, the bulletin said.

The coastal districts of Satkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat, Jhalakati, Pirojpur, Barguna, Patuakhali, Bhola, Barishal, Laxmipur, Chandpur and their offshore islands and chars will come under great danger signal No 10.

Maximum sustained wind speed within 85 kms of the cyclone centre is about 200 kph rising to 220 kph in gusts/squalls. The sea will remain very high near the cyclone centre.

According to the satellite data from NASA-NOAA’s Suomi NPP satellite revealed that Tropical Cyclone Amphan was located near latitude 16.5 degrees north and longitude 86.8 degrees east, that is about 377 nautical miles south-southwest of Kolkata, India on May 19 at 5 a.m. EDT (0900 UTC).

Amphan was moving to the north-northeast and had maximum sustained winds near 110 knots.

Amphan is weakening as it moves north-northeast. The storm is forecast to make landfall near Kolkata on May 20 soon after 2 a.m. EDT (0600 UTC), according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.

Warning for coastal districts

The maritime ports of Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar have been advised to keep hoisted danger signal number six. Coastal districts of Noakhali, Feni, Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar their offshore islands and chars will come under danger signal number six.

Storm surge warning

Under the influence of the cyclone and the end day of last quarter moon, the low-lying areas of the coastal districts of Satkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat, Jhalakati, Pirojpur, Barguna, Patuakhali, Bhola, Barishal, Laxmipur, Chandpur, Noakhali, Feni, Chattogram and their offshore islands and chars are likely to be inundated by storm surge of 10-15 feet height above normal astronomical tide.

Wind warning

The coastal districts of Satkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat, Jhalakati, Pirojpur, Barguna, Patuakhali, Bhola, Barishal, Laxmipur, Chandpur, Noakhali, Feni, Chattogram and their offshore islands and chars are likely to experience wind speed up to 140-160 kph in gusts/squalls with heavy to very heavy falls during the passage of the cyclone.

All fishing boats and trawlers over North Bay and deep sea have been advised to take shelter immediately and will remain in shelter till further notice.

Shelters Ready

State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Md Enamur Rahman on Tuesday said the government has taken necessary preparations to face the super cyclone. He said 12,078 shelters have been kept ready in 19 coastal districts.

Special precautionary measures have been taken as ‘Amphan’ is moving across the Bay of Bengal and likely to make landfall in coastal areas by Wednesday, Dr Enamur said.

The Armed Forces said it has taken preparations to tackle the aftermath of the super cyclone.

The Fisheries and Livestock Ministry on Tuesday launched a control room to deal with the destruction likely to be caused by the super cyclone ‘Amphan’.