Dhaka – Light to moderate and heavy downpour accompanied with gusty winds have forced people across Bangladesh to indoors as pheripheral winds of cyclone Roanu hit the coastal areas Bangladesh on Saturday morning.
The Dhaka Met Office forecast the cyclone which weakened in intensity was expected to make a landfall between Barisal and Chittagong coasts sometime in the afternoon.It said that at 6am the cyclonic storm was centered about 255 kms west-southwest of Chittagong port, 230 kms west-southwest of Cox’s Bazar port,190 kms south of Mongla port and 135 kms south of Payra port.
The cyclone first showed a path curving towards east subsequently recurved towards north, Bangladesh. The maximum sustained wind-speed of up to 97kmph and gusty winds up to 121 kmph can be expected near its core.
Coastal districts of Chittagong, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Feni, Chandpur, Bhola, Borguna, Patuakhali, Barisal, Pirozpur, Jhalokathi, Bagherhat, Khulna, Satkhira and their offshore islands and chars will maintain danger signal number seven while the maritime port of Cox’s Bazar has been advised to maintain danger signal number six as per the bulletin.
The bulletin like previous ones, continued to advise fishermen not to venture deep into sea until further notice.
Squally weather and gusty winds with rain have been reported in the coastal area as well as in other parts of the country since Friday morning, intensifying as the day passed.
Three deaths have been reported from the coastal districts of Bhola and Patuakhali early on Saturday after strong winds led to uprooted trees and collapsed houses .
Orissa and Andhra Pradesh in south-eastern India are also experiencing heavy rains and large-scale landslides were reported from Sri Lanka during the build up of the cyclone
Authorities in Bangladesh have already shifted about 2.5 million people to safer shelters while disaster management teams are on the standby to deal with any adverse situation.
The Disaster Management and Relief Ministry said all precautions are in place to meet the calamity.
The weekly holiday for officials in the districts that are likely to be affected have been cancelled to deal with any eventuality.
Ansar and VDP, Cyclone Preparedness Programme committees, Red Crescent Society and other agencies are working in tandem at the Upazilla and Union levels.
All personnel of disaster response teams have been asked to remain present at their designated offices to distribute relief material if needed.
Divisional Commissioners of regions in danger have been asked to keep dry food and potable water ready.
The Mongla and Chittagong docks have been closed due to bad weather.
The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority has suspended operation of all boats and steamers due to the hostile weather condition.
Roanu may not have the intensity to cause any major devastation but it could produce heavy rainfall in Bangladesh and adjoining India and Myanmar, leading to landslides.
A maximum sustained wind-speed of up to 97kmph and gusty winds up to 121 kmph can be expected near the centre of the cyclone.
A cyclone of that speed is categorised as a Type-2 cyclone.
On April 29, 1991, a cyclone having wind speeds up to 250kmph had left Chittagong devastated killing 140,000 people in official counts. Anoher cyclone that hit on 12 Novermber 1970 claimed half a million human lives across the coastal belt of Bangladesh. – News Desk
