The maritime ports of Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar and Mongla have been advised to hoist local warning Signal No. 4 (Four), replacing the local cautionary Signal No. 3 (Three), as the cyclonic storm ‘Mahasen’ is approaching the Bangladesh coast.
All fishing boats, trawlers and marine vessels over the North Bay and the deep sea have been advised to come close to the coast and stay there, hugging the coast, so that they can take shelter at short notice.
According to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), the cyclonic storm ‘Mahasen’, with an estimated central pressure (ECP) of 998 HPA barometric pressure over Southeast Bay and adjoining Southwest Bay, moved slightly northwards over the same area.
The cyclone was centred at 12 noon on Monday about 1,300 kilometres south-southwest of Chittagong port, 1,230 kilometres south-southwest of Cox’s Bazar port and 1,220 kilometres south-southwest of Mongla port. It is likely to intensify further and move in a northerly direction, the BMD warned.
The maximum sustained wind speed within 54 kilometres of the storm centre is about 62 km per hour, rising to 88 km per hour in gusts and/or squalls. The sea remains very rough near the storm centre.
The Joint Typhoon Warning Centre of the US Navy saw ‘Mahasen’ gaining wind speeds to 157 km per hour, gusting to 185 km per hour, prior to landfall. The US agency estimated that Chittagong would be the likely landfall area.
Meanwhile, the port city of Chittagong and the sea city of Cox’s Bazar have taken extensive measures to deal with the cyclone. In the port city, the Chittagong district administration and Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) have made all-out preparations to avert human casualties and loss of properties if Cyclone ‘Mahasen’ does hit Chittagong.
CCC mayor M Manjur Alam held an emergency meeting with the ward councillors and high-ranking officials on Monday morning to make necessary preparations for the cyclone. It has formed a disaster management cell headed by Mohammad Hossain.
The CCC has opened a control room at the city’s Dampara. The phone numbers of the control room are: 031-630739, 031-633649. The CCC has also kept ready 50 different modes of transport for speedy evacuation of the coastal people just after the danger signal is hoisted.
Besides, the CCC has kept 15 educational institutions ready for preparing safe shelters. It has also kept other equipment as well as ambulances, medicines and food ready. Three medical teams have been formed to provide medication to the injured persons.
Ward councillors of each of the CCC’s wards have been asked to monitor the situation round the clock.
Meanwhile, the CCC mayor has visited the coastal areas of the port city, including Patenga, Halishahor and South and North Kattali this morning and requested the people to remain alert and be prepared to go to safe shelters if the cyclone hits Chittagong.
The Chittagong district administration has also made all-out preparations, including opening a control room at the district administration office and keeping cyclone shelters ready. The control room’s phone number is: 031-611545.
Chittagong district relief and rehabilitation officer (DRRO) Abdul Malek said the administration is ready to face the cyclone and tackle its aftermath.
-With The Independent input
