The maritime ports of Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra have been advised to hoist local warning signal 4 as the very severe cyclonic storm ‘Fani’ over the West Central Bay and adjoining area moved northwestwards further over the same area.
It was centring at 6:00pm on Wednesday about 1205km southwest of Chattogram port, 1160km southwest of Cox’s Bazar port, 1060km southwest of Mongla port and1070km southwest of Payra port.
The cyclone is likely to intensify further and move in a north/northwesterly direction, said a Met Office special bulletin.
Maximum sustained wind speed within 74km of the storm centre is about 160 kilometres per hour rising to 180 kph in gusts/squalls. Sea will remain very high near the cyclone centre.
All fishing boats and trawlers over the North Bay and deep sea have been advised to remain close to the coast and proceed with caution so that they can take shelter within a short notice. They have also been advised not to venture into the deep sea.
An emergency meeting on preparedness to face cyclone Fani was held at the the disaster management ministry Wednesday evening.
State minister for disaster management and relief Enamur Rahman said that from the current direction of the cyclone it was being assumed that it would hit India’s Odisha state, then the West Bengal and then Bangladesh’s Khulna and Satkhira region.
‘But if the cyclone changes its course and moves towards Bangladesh then it will hit Khulna, Mongla, Satkhira, Chattoram and Cox’s Bazar,’ he said.
He said that the ministry opened control rooms in 19 coastal districts and 56,000 volunteers were kept prepared.
As part of the preparations, 200 tonnes of rice, 41,000 packets of dry food and cash Tk 5 lakh have been sent to the deputy commissioners of each of the 19 districts, he said.
Source: New Age.
