Cyclone Sitrang is likely to severely hit 13 districts of Bangladesh, as it has become stronger, State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Md Enamur Rahman has said.
“The storm can cause havoc anytime between Monday evening and Tuesday, and it will be completely inside Bangladesh's territory,” the state minister told reporters at the Secretariat after a meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Disaster Management Coordination Committee.
The districts include Satkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat, Pirojpur, Barguna, Jhalokathi, Bhola, Patuakhali, Lakshmipur, Chandpur, Noakhali, Feni and Barisal. Cyclone Sitrang will also hit most parts of the Chittagong, Khulna and Barisal divisions.
Focus Bangla
The state minister also said that officials were instructed to evacuate people from the risky areas. "Our humanitarian aid has already arrived.”
Stating that 7,300 shelters have been prepared in the coastal areas, he mentioned: "People are being brought to the shelters since morning. We evacuated 2.4 million during cyclone Amphan. This time we are planning to move 2.5 million.”
The cyclone may cross Barisal-Chittagong coast near Khepupara by early morning Tuesday and heavy rains would continue to lash the country under its impact, according to the latest bulletin of the Bangladesh Metrological Department.
