The government has taken adequate preparations to tackle the possible effects of Cyclone Yaas, State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Mohammad Enamur Rahman said on Monday.
Field-level officers of the coastal districts, as well as the local police, Ansar, Border Guard Bangladesh, and Cyclone Preparedness Program (CPP) volunteers are on standby for emergency response, he said during an official meeting on cyclone preparedness at the secretariat.
However, he said the risk of Yaas hitting the coast of Bangladesh is very low. (Check trajectory here.)
Yaas was formed from a deep depression over the east-central Bay of Bengal, which intensified into the cyclone Monday. It is predicted to hit Odisha and West Bengal on Tuesday.
In a special bulletin, the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) said the cyclonic storm had registered wind speeds over 62kmph within 54km of the cyclone centre.
The maritime ports of Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra have been advised to hoist distant Warning Signal No 2.
Cyclone Yaas is not likely to cause any major damage to the coastal areas of Bangladesh, as it has not intensified further and is moving west-northwest, Enamur said at the meeting.
The maritime ports of Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla, and Payra were advised to hoist distant warning signal No 2 for Cyclone Yaas on May 24, 2021 | Focus Bangla
“By the grace of Allah, we are free from tension as of now, as the cyclone is now centred about 500km away from the coast of Odisha and 605km away from the coast of Bangladesh. It is likely to move northwest to Odisha,” he added.
“We hope the storm will have no major impact on the Bangladesh coast, which is likely if it maintains its course.
“We will inform you [the media] every hour if the cyclone intensifies further or shifts its course towards Bangladesh so that you can share the updated news and the people have time to react,” the state minister added.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department, the cyclone is very likely to cross the north Odisha-West Bengal coasts between Paradip and Sagar Island on Wednesday afternoon as a very severe cyclonic storm.
It is expected to bring in winds at 155-165kmph, gusting up to 180kmph in the next 24 hours.
Preparations in the coastal areas
Several initiatives have been taken to minimize the probable effects of the cyclone in the coastal districts.
The authorities in the Barisal Division are preparing to evacuate about two million people to safety.
Barisal Divisional Disaster Management Committee had a meeting on Monday regarding disaster preparedness to face the cyclonic storm.
According to the divisional commissioner's office, the district and upazila level administrations prepared to move about two million people to 4,915 permanent and temporary shelters across the division.
This RAMMB/CIRA handout satellite image shows a cyclone(R) approaching eastern India on May 23, 2021 | AFP
Local officials have been instructed to make all necessary preparations as soon as possible. In addition, every district administration has already opened a control room for emergency response.
“On Sunday, there was a meeting with the deputy commissioners of all the districts and the UNOs of all the upazilas in this division over the cyclonic storm. Today, we sat with the Divisional Disaster Management Committee,” Barisal Divisional Commissioner Saiful Islam Badal told Dhaka Tribune Monday.
Factbox The Ministry of Water Resources has issued eight directives to respond to the approaching cyclonic storm Yaas, BSS reported. They are: >> A control room set up to collect information and monitor Yaas (Phone number: 01318234560) >> A report must be sent to the ministry by May 24 after observing the overall situation, including embankments in coastal areas as per the directives >> Necessary sand, geo-bag and workers should be kept ready. Masks, oral saline and drinking water should be kept ready for distribution >> Necessary measures should be taken for the maintenance of eight polders in the Satkhira and Khulna districts. >> Required water vessels should be managed to shift people and health guidelines should be maintained in all activities in view of the coronavirus pandemic >> Concerned officials and employees at the field level should remain present at the respective workplaces round the clock. >> If any official gets any information of causality, they should inform the concerned district administration and district water resources management committee. Field-level officials and on-duty officials of the control room will take necessary measures. >> Water Development Board will have to work in coordination with local public representatives, media and locals. |
“We don't want any negligence anywhere, and the use of masks in the cyclone shelters is mandatory due to Covid-19. We are prepared to face the storm,” he added.
Sources at the divisional commissioner’s office have said that separate locations based on the sizes of families have been selected to ensure social distancing in the shelters.
All sorts of Covid-19 safety facilities would be there, they added.
According to the Met Office’s weather bulletin at 6pm Monday, Cyclone Yaas was centred about 655km south-southwest of Chittagong port, 590km south-southwest of Cox’s Bazar port, 630km south of Mongla port, and 585km south of Payra port.
Due to favourable atmospheric conditions, the cyclone is likely to intensify further, move in a north-northwesterly direction and may reach North West Bay off north Odisha-West Bengal-Khulna coast by May 26 early morning, the bulletin said.
All fishing boats and trawlers over the North Bay and deep sea have been advised to take shelter and remain in shelter till further notice.
State Minister Enamur Rahman said there was no need to increase the cautionary signal for Bangladesh for now.
“We are monitoring the situation and will continue to do so until the storm makes landfall. We are prepared to shift people to shelters in case the storm changes its course,” he added.
Embankments built to protect the coastal people from hits of cyclonic storms being washed away by a river in Khulna | Dhaka Tribune
According to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, the coastal district administrations have already been alerted and they are taking adequate precautionary measures, in case the cyclone further intensifies and moves towards Bangladesh.
BSS reported that Khulna, Satkhira and Bagerhat district administrations, Mongla Port Authority, Bangladesh Navy, Bangladesh Coast Guard (BCG) of Mongla West Zone were taking massive preparations in the coastal belt to face the impending cyclone.
Over 500,000 people are being prepared to be moved to more than 3,000 cyclone shelters, while over 200 medical teams in Khulna, Bagerhat and Satkhira have been prepared.
Khulna Divisional Administration in an emergency meeting on Monday, chaired by Divisional Commissioner Mohammad Ismail Hossain, decided to keep medical teams on standby with adequate relief materials including drinking water and dry food at all shelters during situations before and after the cyclone, BSS reported.
Khulna Divisional Commissioner Mohammad Ismail Hossain said the Standing Order on Disaster Management Committee (SOD), set up by the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, was working to cope with the cyclone.
“All upazila nirbahi officers (UNO) in coastal areas have been asked to take all-out preparations for medical service and relief distribution before and after evacuation,” he said.
Iqbal Hossain, deputy director and acting deputy commissioner of Khulna district said the district administration had taken extensive preparations to deal with Cyclone Yaas.
People in coastal areas on the edge
People living in the south-western coastal area live in fear during the month of May, as cyclones devastate their lives at this time of the year.
Super Cyclone Amphan hit Bangladesh on May 20 last year, while severe cyclonic storm Aila ravaged the coast on May 25, 2009.
Other devastating cyclones that ravaged the coast since 2004 also include Sidr, Bijli, Reshmi, Nargis, Mahasen, and Bulbul.
The victims of these cyclones, who have yet to fully recover from the aftermath of those storms, are now bracing for another powerful storm. As a result, news of the possible arrival of Cyclone Yaas on Tuesday has caused panic all over the coast.
Nearly every single coastal resident is waiting to go to shelters. They fear dams wrecked by previous storms are too weak to resist Cyclone Yaas as they have not been firmly rebuilt.
If flooded, houses and ponds will be damaged by salinity from the seawater again. The shortage of drinking water will become more evident throughout the district.
They also said they were passing the day in extreme fear, as there is a strong possibility of three- to four-foot-high tidal surges in the rivers at the same time as the storm.
People walking over dilapidated embankments built to protect the coastal people from hits of cyclonic storms in Khulna | Dhaka Tribune
Ajmal Hossain from Koyra Sadar upazila said they were constantly struggling due to the poor condition of the dams and acute shortage of drinking water.
The dilapidated embankment was one of the main reasons for their misery in the face of the constant drag and drop of houses due to the threat of natural disasters, he added.
Hosne Ara Begum from the North Bedkashi area said that although she had the opportunity to save her life by going to the shelter, she was worried about her house, possessions and livestock.
Similarly, Aslam Hossain, a coastal resident, said he might be able to save himself by leaving home early, but he was in danger of becoming destitute by losing everything he has built, including his home.
There is already an acute shortage of potable water and food throughout the region. Nilutpal Mandal from Durgabati village said the entire area had been flooded when the dam broke just two months ago.
Nepal Roy, a resident of Chalna Pankhali area, echoed that he had suffered extensive damage to his house and watermelon fields due to the damage of the embankment.
“I hear Cyclone Yaas is coming. We are very scared of this. It will take time to get rid of the saltwater if the embankment is broken. Fisheries, vegetable fields, farms and houses will all be damaged,” he added.
Every year, the government spends crores to build the embankments, but it eventually suffers erosion. Moreover, the contractors who work to build these embankments do not do a proper job, Nepal Roy complained.
