Millions evacuated in Bangladesh as Cyclone Remal approaches

Dhaka:

Bangladesh has begun evacuating millions of people ahead of Cyclone Remal, which is expected to bring winds of up to 130 km/h when it makes landfall.

The cyclonic storm in the Bay of Bengal is expected to cross the country’s coast between Sunday night and midnight, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department warned on Sunday of the danger of floods, landslides and storms.

Great Danger Signal No. 10 was sounded for the country’s coastal districts and seaports, where fishing boats, trawlers and seagoing vessels were advised to remain sheltered until further notice.

At 9:00 am local time on Sunday, the center of the cyclone was 295 km south of Bangladesh’s Mongla port in the southern Khulna region and 380 km southwest of Chattogram port in southeastern Bangladesh, the signed bulletin said. by Kh Hafizur Rahman, BMD meteorologist.

Bangladesh Minister of State for Disaster Management and Relief Md Mohibur Rahman told Xinhua that at least 8,00,000 people from the ten most vulnerable districts have already been evacuated to shelters.

He said Bangladesh’s navy, coast guard, police, voluntary organizations and political parties support the ongoing mass evacuation efforts.

Television images showed widespread flooding in low-lying areas of coastal districts.

Due to the peripheral effect of the severe cyclone and the steep pressure gradient, the low-lying areas of the coastal districts of Khulna and Chattogram are likely to be inundated by a wind-driven wave of 8-12 feet in height above the normal astronomical tide, the bulletin said.

The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority has suspended operations of all types of river vessels on all inland routes. Authorities at the Chattogram seaport have ordered to stop unloading cargo at the outer anchorage and asked all ships anchored there to go to the deep sea.

The Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram suspended its flight operations for eight hours from Sunday afternoon.

In 2007, Cyclone Sidr hit the southwestern coastal strip of the country, leaving more than 4,000 people dead or missing.

(Except the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)