Tropical Cyclone ‘Mahasen’ was moving fast towards Bangladesh and poised to hit coastline in the south-eastern part of the country in the early hours of Thursday. Bangladesh Meteorological Office said the Cyclone Mahasen is likely to pound the coastal region of south-eastern Bangladesh at a speed of 90 to 100 kilometers per hour affecting the low-lying areas of eight districts. According to a United Nations report, the tropical cyclone will threaten to lash the low-lying areas of Bangladesh and Myanmar posing a risk to more than eight million people of the two countries.
It may bring “life-threatening conditions” for 8.2 million people in northeast India, Bangladesh and Myanmar, the UN warned adding that Bangladesh’s Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar areas could face the worst of a tidal surge and heavy rains.
Local officials said 113 medical teams had been mobilized to deal with the impact of the cyclone and leave had been cancelled for all government employees. All communications in water route were suspended throughout Bangladesh from 10 pm Wednesday.
“We have made all preparations to face the cyclone,” Mohammad Kamruzzaman, a government magistrate in charge of a Rohingya refugee camp in Cox’s Banzar told the AFP. “We have been using loudspeakers to alert both documented and undocumented refugees of the dangers of cyclone,” he added.
Authorities already evacuated hundreds of thousands of people living in the coastal areas to cyclone shelters built along the entire coastal belt of the country. Many people have also been moved to schools, colleges and other safer places.
After an inter-service coordination meeting on Wednesday, Chittagong district administration directed all forces to remain ready for immediate response to any emergency situation triggered by the tropical cyclone Mahasen. Officials of Bangladesh army, navy, air force, Bangladesh Coast Guard, police, fire service, civil defense and ansar attended the coordination meeting chaired by Chittagong Deputy Commissioner Abdul Mannan.
Chittagong district administration and Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) have already opened separate control rooms in the port city for instant response to any emergency call before and after the impact of the cyclone.
Maritime ports of Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar have been advised to hoist “Danger Signal 7”. The coastal districts of Cox’s Bazar, Chittagong, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Feni, Chandpur, Bhola, Borguna, Patuakhali, Barishal and all offshore islands and adjoining areas also came under the same “Danger Signal 7”.
Met Office advised Mongla Sea Port to keep hoisted “Danger Signal 5.” The coastal districts of Pirojpur, Jhalokathi, Bagherhat, Khulna, Satkhira and their offshore islands and adjoining areas also came under the “Danger Signal 5.”
Airport authorities already closed Chittagong Shah Amanat International Airport and Cox’s Bazar Airport and suspended all the scheduled flights to and from both airports until further notice.
Operational activities at Chittagong and Karnaphuli Export Processing Zones were suspended from Wednesday afternoon following a directive from Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority (BEPZA).
According to the latest Special Weather Bulletin of the BMD, Cyclone Mahasen over West Central Bay and adjoining East Central Bay moved slightly North-Northeastwards and was centered at 3:00 pm on Wednesday about 755 kilometers Southwest of Chittagong port, 695 kilometers Southwest of Cox’s Bazar port and 635 kilometers South Southwest of Mongla port.
The storm was likely to intensify further and move in a North-Northeasterly direction and may cross Patuakhali-Teknaf coast near Chittagong in the early hours of Thursday. Maximum sustained wind speed within 54 kilometers of the storm centre is about 62 KPH rising to 88 KPH in squalls. Sea remained very rough.
Under the influence of the cyclonic storm, the low-lying areas of the coastal districts of Cox’s Bazar, Chitagong, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Feni, Chandpur, Borguna, Bhola, Patuakhali, Barishal, Pirojpur, Jhalokhathi, Bagherhat, 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.
The coastal districts of Cox’s Bazar, Chittagong, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Feni. Borguna, Chandpur, Patuakhali, Barishal, Bhola, Pirojpur and their offshore islands and chars are likely to experience wind speed up to 90-100 kilometers per hour (KPH) in gusts with heavy to very falls while other coastal districts likely to experience 80-90 KPH in gusts during the passage of the cyclonic storm through the Bangladesh coast.
Due to very heavy rainfall landslide may occur at places over the hilly regions of Chittagong division.
All fishing boats, trawlers and marine vessels over North Bay have been advised to remain in shelters till further notice. Meanwhile, by Wednesday afternoon all marine vessels from the Chittagong port channel have taken shelters at outer anchorage following the directives of Chittagong Port Authority (CPA).
The Joint Typhoon Warning Centre (JTWC) of US Navy referring the latest Google Earth Graphic Overlay of the cyclone ‘Mahasen’ forecast that the cyclone storm may make two separate landfalls at port city’s Patenga and at offshore island Kutubdia of Cox’s Bazar district before its full dissipation.
On the other hand, a statement released by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) late Tuesday said Cyclone ‘Mahasen’ had been downgraded to category one. But the agency said the storm could still pose a risk to more than eight million people.
The UN said about 8.2 million people in northeast India, Bangladesh and Myanmar would be affected, adding Bangladesh’s Chittagong and Cox’s Bazaar areas could face the worst of a tidal surge and heavy rains.
-with The Independent input
