Under the influence of ‘Cyclone Remal’, a cyclonic storm is likely to cross between Satkhira in Khulna and Cox’s Bazar in Chattogram by Sunday (May 26). “A great danger signal,” is likely to be shown from midnight on Saturday in the Bay and adjacent areas due to the possible cyclone situation, said State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Mohibbur Rahman today.
The State Minister said this after the emergency meeting of the Cyclone Preparedness Program Implementation Board at the conference room of the ministry on Saturday (May 25) afternoon.
“The distant cautionary signal no. 1 is underway. The signal will move to 3 in the next 1-2 hours. It is likely to move above 4 by evening,” Mohibbur Rahman said, mentioning that preparations for the storm have been started by reviewing the forecasts of the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD)
By coordinating with BMD, Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), China Meteorological Administration (CMA), Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) and Met offices of other countries around the world, we clearly understand that the cyclone is “imminent”, he said. “We are preparing accordingly.”
The State Minister said that a meeting will be held in the ministry again at 8 pm. We have called an inter-ministerial meeting tomorrow at 11 am. “In a word, this cyclone is imminent, keeping that in mind, we have completed the preparations and started the work,” he added.
In response to a query on how many districts can be affected, the State Minister said that “there is a risk of affecting the entire area from Satkhira to Cox’s Bazar”. Now it is located 500-600 km away, especially directly south from Payra and Mongla ports.
When asked can this cyclone may turn into “horrible” like Sidr, the State Minister for Disaster said that it is likely to be dangerous by 12:00-1:00 am. It is being feared that this cyclone could turn into “great danger signal no. 10.”
He said that it is likely to make a landfall from Sunday morning. The core will hit by tomorrow evening. This is what we understand in the forecast and it may move to “danger point” from 12:00-1:00 am today.
“We have around 4000 shelters in the coastal district. We prepared those. For food, we have stocked enough dry food in warehouses in each district. We have made preparations so that we can provide more supplies from Dhaka if necessary,” the State Minister informed.
He also said that we have prepared 80,000 volunteers. We have taken all the preparations. As per that, we started working.
What Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), the country’s Met Office, says
A special notification no. 6 says – the deep depression is located 565 km South-West of Chattogram sea port, 495 km South-West from Cox’s Bazar, 540 km South of Mongla, and 490 km South of Payra sea port at 9 am today. It may move further North-East and intensify.
The maximum sustained wind speed is 50 km/h within 48 km of the deep depression — which is increasing up to 60 km in the form of gusts or squally winds, resulting in the ocean turbulence in and around the deep depression center.
Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra seaports have been asked to hoist distant cautionary signal no. 1.
Fishing boats and trawlers stationed in North Bay and deep sea have been asked to proceed cautiously to the coast until further notice. They were also told not to roam in the deep sea.
