Bangladesh braces for powerful cyclone

Staff Reporter :
The deep low pressure formed in the Bay of Bengal may develop into a super cyclone ‘Sitrang’ by Sunday’s evening and is likely to hit 19 coastal districts of Bangladesh from Monday night to Tuesday evening.
The cyclone named Sitrang by Thailand may hit the 730 km-long Bangladesh’s coastal areas from Cox’s Bazar to Satkhira.
Meanwhile, Maritime ports of Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra have been advised to hoist local cautionary signal number 4 as the depression over the east-central Bay has been intensified into a deep depression on Sunday morning.
Instructions have already been given to possible vulnerable district’s administrations for taking preparation in advance.
The government has already provided 25 tonnes of rice, taka five lakh in cash, dry cakes and biscuits to each district for humanitarian aid to the shelters. The supplied items are stocked and can feed any number of people.
State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Md Enamur Rahman told journalists after an emergency meeting of the Cyclone Preparedness Program Implementation Board at the Secretariat on Sunday.
The State Minister said that under the influence of deep depression, new moon phase and steep pressure gradient, the low-lying coastal districts are likely to be inundated by the wind-driven surge of 3-5 feet height above normal astronomical tide.
The government has taken all necessary measures to ensure the safety of the people and properly manage this natural calamity, he added.
Meanwhile, panic has spread in the coastal areas of Satkhira because of Cyclone Sitrang.
Many locals are fearing that the embankments might not be able to stand against the strong winds and tidal surges
caused by the cyclone.
According to Satkhira Water Development Board officials, out of the 800km of the embankment under Water Development Board-1 and 2, only 2.5km are at risk.
Satkhira Water Development Board-2 Executive Engineer Md Shahanewaz Talukder said, “It is quite unlikely that the embankment will break unless there is a big storm coupled with strong tidal surges.
“But preparations have been made to face any untoward situation. Besides, geo and synthetic bags have been stocked for repair work.”
Satkhira Meteorological Department In-charge Zulfiqar Ali said that the cyclone has not yet formed in the Bay of Bengal.
“However, it is not yet certain whether it will hit the Satkhira coast. But if it does, wind speeds may hit 50-60kmph with tidal 2-5 feet surges. There will also be heavy rainfall in the area,” he added.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the deep depression over westcentral & adjoining eastcentral Bay of Bengal moved northwestwards with a speed of 18 kmph during past 6 hours.
“It is very likely to move northwestwards during next 06 hrs and intensify into a cyclonic storm over central Bay of Bengal. Thereafter, it would recurve and move north-northeastwards and cross Bangladesh coast between Tinkona Island and Sandwip, close to Barisal around 25th October early morning,” the IMD bulletin said.
However, an emergency inter-ministerial meeting will be held at the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief on Monday regarding the super cyclone Sitrang.
The low-lying areas of coastal districts of Satkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat, Jhalakathi, Pirojpur, Barguna, Patuakhali, Bhola, Barishal, Laxmipur, Chandpur, Noakhali, Feni, Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar are likely to be inundated by wind driven tidal surge.