The government has decided to evacuate the vulnerable coastal people to cyclone centres, starting from Tuesday afternoon, as cyclone Amphan moves towards Bangladesh’s coastal areas.
Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief Senior Secretary Shah Kamal said: “The cyclone may cross the coast on Tuesday night or Wednesday morning as per weather forecast. So, we will start shifting the coastal people to the cyclone centres from Tuesday evening.”
“However, the decision will be updated again depending on the situation.”
“Pregnant women, women, aged, disable and children will be taken to shelters on priority basis. The men will be shifted later. Everyone will get necessary food at the shelter centres,” he added.
“The local administration has been already informed about the instruction and they are working to prepare the shelters,” the senior secretary told the Dhaka Tribune.
When asked about maintaining social distance at the shelters to avoid the risk of spread of the coronavirus, Shah Kamal said: “Each family will be kept together, maintaining a distance from another family.”
“We will also requisite educational institutes to use as shelters and ensure social distancing.”
The government has 5,000 shelter centres in coastal areas where at least 2,100,000 people can take shelter.
Amphan was centred about 1,110 km south-southwest of Chittagong port, 1,050 km south-southwest of Cox’s Bazar port, 1,025 km south-southwest of Mongla port and 1,010 km south-southwest of Payra port at noon on Monday, according to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department.
It is likely to intensify further and move in a north-northwesterly direction and later recurve north-northeast wards,crossing the Bangladesh coast between Khulna-Chittagong late on the night of May 19 to afternoon or evening of May 20, the bulletin added.
More to follow …