Cyclonic storm Fani—the biggest cyclone in a decade—over coastal Odisha and adjoining Northwest Bay has moved north-northeastwards, weakened further and lies over the same area as a severe cyclonic storm.
It is now centered: 410 km from Mongla, 475 km from Payra port, 650 km west of Cox’s Bazar port, and 650 km west of Chittagong port, according to the Dhaka Met office.
The severe storm made landfall in eastern India on Friday with strong winds, India's Meteorological Department said.
This storm will enter Bangladesh via the Mongla and Payra ports. However, it will weaken and slow while entering Bangladesh, said a Met office bulletin around 6pm Friday.
It is likely to move in a north-northeasterly direction further over the Odisha-West Bengal coastal areas, reach Khulna and adjoining southwestern part of the country by midnight to Saturday early morning, it added.
The peripheral effect of cyclonic storm “Fani” has been continuing over Bangladesh and its adjoining coastal areas from Friday morning.
Shamsuddin Ahmed, director of the Bangladesh Meteorological Department on Friday afternoon said the speed of the cyclonic storm has come down to 120-140 km per hour.
Although the speed has come down, the Bay of Bengal is still turbulent, he added.
Meanwhile, the Kolkata Met Office has said the cyclonic storm Fani will weaken down to an ordinary cyclone before lashing Bangladesh.
Also Read- Cyclone Fani now 545km southwest off Mongla port
After crossing West Bengal as a severe cyclone, it will make landfall in Bangladesh as an ordinary category cyclone with wind speed reducing down 60 to 70 km per hour, said the Kolkata Met office.
Fani is one of the most powerful cyclones formed in the Bay of Bengal since 1999. It is close to cyclone Sidr in strength.
Under the influence of the very severe cyclonic storm Fani and the new moon phase, the low-lying areas of the coastal districts - Chittagong, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Feni, Chandpur, Borguna, Bhola, Patuakhali, Barisal, Pirozpur, Jhalokathi, Bagherhat, Khulna, and Satkhira - alongwith their offshore islands and chars are likely to be inundated by a storm surge 4-5 feet height above the normal astronomical tide, according to the Met office bulletin.