The extremely severe Cyclone Amphan crossed the Bangladesh-West Bengal coasts on Wednesday evening with its main fury on West Bengal 24 Parganas leaving a trail of devastations. The cyclone then curved and moved on to Bangladesh in a weakened form and devastated the greater Jessore, Kushria and Rajshahi before turning into a land depression. The coastal districts of greater Khulna region suffered damages of houses, agricultural crops, culture fisheries and at some places breach of embankments. A number of deaths have also been reported in a wall collapse and under uprooted trees. The damages are still being assessed, according to reports coming from the districts.
The cyclone caused extensive rainfall all over Bangladesh on Wednesday. Rainfall is still continuing in different districts.
Cyclone Amphan over Jhenidah district and adjoining areas moved northwards and lay over the Rajshahi Pabna region as a land depression at 9 am on Thursday. It would move further northeastwards and weaken gradually giving precipitation, Bangladesh Meteorological Department said in its latest special weather bulletin.
Maritime ports of Mongla and Payra have been advised to lower Great Danger Signal number Ten and instead local cautio9nary signal number three. Similarly, the maritime ports of Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar have been asked to lower Great Danger Signal number Nine and instead hoist local cautionary signal number three.
Under influence of steep pressure gradient over North Bay and adjoining coastal areas of Bangladesh plus the New Moon phase, low lying areas in the coastal districts of Satkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat, Jhalokathi, Pirojpur, Barguna, Patuakhali, Bhola, Barisal, Luxmipur, Chandpur, Noakhali, Feni and Chittagong and their off-shore islands and chars are likely to be inundated by surge height four to six feet above the normal astronomical tide.
The met office has also forecast storm with wind speed reaching up to 50 kilometres an hour accompanied by heavy falls in the coastal districts today. All Fishing boats and trawlers have been advised to remain in shelter until further notice. – News Desk
