Over one million people living in the country’s coastal districts have so far been evacuated ahead of an extremely severe cyclone centered in the Bay of Bengal.
Cyclonic storm ‘Bulbul’ has started lashing on the southwestern Khulna region, near the Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest, at 9pm last night after hitting the coastal areas of West-Bengal.
At 3pm, it was about 240km Southwest of Mongla Port and 275km southwest of Payra port, 445km west-southwest of Chattogram Port and 445 west southeast of Cox’s Bazar port.
“It may strike Khulna coast anytime Saturday midnight and pass through the coastal areas in Khulna and West Bengal. It will then continue to move to the northeast,” Shamsuddin Ahmed, Director of Bangladesh Meteorological Department earlier said.
He added, the time of landfall depends on whether it will be gaining or losing its velocity.
Earlier, the Bangladesh Meteorological Department has issued great danger Signal number 10 for maritime ports of Mongla and Payra, and great danger signal number nine for maritime port of Chittagong, as the cyclonic storm is bearing down on Bangladesh coasts. Chattogram port authorities have suspended loading and unloading of goods and opened three control rooms.
At a special bulletin on Saturday, the Met office advised Mongla and Payra ports to lower its earlier danger Signal number seven and the Chattogram port to lower its earlier danger Signal number six.
Maritime port of Cox’s Bazar has been advised to keep hoisting local warning signal number four, the bulletin said.
The cyclone was moving at an average speed between 15kph and 20kph towards Bangladesh.
According to the Met office, coastal districts of Bhola, Barguna, Patuakhali, Barishal, Pirojpur, Jhalakathi, Bagerhat, Khulna, Satkhira and their offshore islands and chars will come under great danger signal number 10.
Coastal districts of Chattogram, Noakhali, Lakshmipur, Feni, Chandpur and their offshore islands and chars will come under great danger Signal number nine, it said.
Bulbul situated over northwest bay and adjoining area, moved northwards and now lies over the same area.
It is likely to move in a north/northeasterly direction and may cross West Bengal-Khulna coast (near Sundarbans) by Saturday evening, the bulletin said.
Maximum sustained wind speed within 74km of the very severe cyclone centre is about 130kph rising to 150kph in gusts.
The coastal districts of Khulna, Satkhira, Chattogram, Noakhali, Lakshmipur, Feni, Chandpur, Barguna, Patuakhali, Barishal, Bhola, Pirojpur, Jhalakathi, Bagerhat and their offshore islands and chars are likely to experience wind speed up to 100-120kph in gusts with heavy to very heavy falls during the passage of the storm, it said.
Under the influence of the very severe cyclonic storm and the moon phase, the low-lying areas of the coastal districts of Chattogram, Noakhali, Lakshmipur, Feni, Chandpur, Barguna, Bhola, Patuakhali, Barishal, Pirojpur, Jhalakathi, Bagerhat, Khulna, Satkhira and their offshore islands and chars are likely to be inundated by storm surge of 5-7 feet height above normal astronomical tide, it said.
All fishing boats and trawlers over north bay have been advised to remain in shelter till further notice.
Besides, operation of all kinds of water vessels has been prohibited on the rivers by the authorities.
Briefing reporters at his Secretariat office, State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Enamur Rahman said officials have taken preparation to evacuate people and livestock in the coastal areas.
“We have targeted 1.8 million people in nine coastal districts. They would be shifted to safer places to save their lives from the cyclonic storm “Bulbul,” he added.
Senior Secretary of the Disaster Management and Relief Ministry Md Shah Kamal told The New Nation that nearly three lakhs vulnerable people from Bhola, Barguna, Patuakhali, Barishal, Pirojpur, Jhalakathi, Bagerhat, Khulna, and Satkhira and their offshore islands and chars were moved out to cyclone shelters or safer places till 12noon on Saturday.
“Bangladesh Army, Coast Guards, Local Administration, volunteers of the cyclone preparedness programme, officials and employees of the Disaster Management Ministry are jointly working in the evacuation drive,” he added.
Kamal further said that in most vulnerable areas including chars (small island), we are trying to help people move out along with their valuables and cattle as well.
“The evacuees were being provided dry food… We have enough stock of relief materials for them”.
The authorities have deployed 55,000 volunteers of the cyclone preparedness programme, closed schools and colleges and vacation of employees of offices under the Disaster Management Ministry has been cancelled for November 8-10, according to a press release.
Besides, as many as 1,577 medical teams have been formed in coastal districts to provide emergency medical services.
The teams are comprised of medical officers/assistant surgeons, senior staff nurse, midwives, deputy assistant community medical officers, health assistants, community health care providers and others, according to a press release issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) on Saturday.
Adequate stock of medicines and medical equipment has already been ensured in those districts, it added.
The Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief opened 4,516 shelter centres in the districts where the medical teams will provide necessary health services.
Besides, the holidays of officials and employees of the Health Department have also been cancelled until further notice, the press release added.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has asked her officials to stay in touch with the districts at risk from cyclone Bulbul.
