Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been monitoring round the clock the situation of super cyclone named “Amphan” in the Bay of Bengal.
“The premier is monitoring the situation of the region’s first super cyclone round the clock, while over 300,000 people have already been evacuated for their safety from the coastal areas at her directives,” said Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim on Tuesday night.
“All the people have been asked to move to shelter centres by tonight (Tuesday),” he added.
Earlier, the authorities concerned ordered the evacuation of the maximum possible number of people to safety before Tuesday midnight as the intensifying wrath of the region’s first super cyclone in decades prompted the Met office to contemplate issuing the highest danger signal number in their existing scale, reports BSS.
“The local authorities have been directed to complete the evacuation before midnight today (Tuesday),” said State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Enamur Rahman in an emergency news briefing at his office.
Earlier in the day, leading global storm tracker AccuWeather described Amphan as the first super cyclone in the Bay of Bengal since 1999, fearing the “ferocious” storm to unleash extreme impacts across Bangladeshi and northeastern Indian coastlines.
Where is Amphan now?
The latest Bangladesh Met office bulletin said the Amphan over northwest bay and adjoining northeast bay and west-central bay moved north-northeastwards and lies over the same area.
It said the storms location at 6am on Wednesday was centred at about 565 km southwest of Chittagong Port, 545 km southwest of Cox’s Bazar Port, 390 km southwest of Mongla Port and 410 km southwest of Payra Port.
The cyclone is likely to move in a north-northeasterly direction and may cross West Bengal-Bangladesh coast near Sundarbans during afternoon or evening of May 20, 2020.
Maximum sustained wind speed within 85 kms of the cyclone centre is about 200 kph rising to 220 kph in gusts or squalls. Sea will remain very high near the cyclone centre.
Maritime ports of Mongla and Payra have been advised to lower danger signal number seven but instead hoist great danger signal number 10.
Coastal districts of Satkhira, Khulna, Bagherhat, Jhalokathi, Pirojpur, Barguna, Patuakhali, Bhola, Barisal, Laxmipur, Chandpur and their offshore islands and chars will come under great danger.
Maritime ports of Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar have been advised to keep hoisted danger signal number six. Coastal districts of Noakhali, Feni, Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar and their offshore islands and chars will come under danger signal number six.
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, Bagherhat, Jhalokathi, Pirojpur, Barguna, Patuakhali, Bhola, Barisal, Laxmipur, Chandpur, Noakhali, Feni, Chittagong and their offshore islands and chars are likely to be inundated by storm surge of 10-15 feet height above normal astronomical tide.
These areas are likely to experience wind speed up to 140-160 kph in gusts or 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 to remain in shelter till further notice.
