Cyclone Amphan Likely to Make Landfall by 8pm

Cyclone ‘Amphan’ is likely to make landfall on the coast by 8 pm tonight, with a 180-200 kph wind speed at its center.

The maritime ports of Mongla and Payra have been advised to hoist great danger signal number 10 while Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar great danger signal number 9.

At 3 p.m. on Wednesday, the cyclone concentrated about 420 km southwest of the port of Chattogram, 430 km southwest of Cox's port of Bazar, 200 km southwest of the port of Mongla, and 250 km southwest of the port of Payra, according to the Met Office Bulletin.

"It is likely to move in the north-northeast direction and may begin to cross the West Bengal-Bangladesh coast between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. today," he said.

The highest sustained wind speed within 80 km of the cyclone center is about 180 km / h increasing to 200 km / h in gusts/squalls. The sea will stay very high near the cyclone center.

Warning for coastal districts:

The coastal districts of Satkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat, Jhalakati, Pirojpur, Barguna, Patuakhali, Bhola, Barishal, Laxmipur, Chandpur and their offshore islands and chars will come under great danger signal number No 10.

The maritime ports of Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar have been advised to keep hoisted great danger signal number No 9.

Coastal districts of Noakhali, Feni, Chattogram, and Cox’s Bazar and their offshore islands and chars will come under great danger signal number No 9.

Storm surge warning:

Under the influence of the cyclone and the last day of the last quarter of the moon, the low-lying areas of the coastal districts of Satkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat, Jhalakati, Pirojpur, Barguna, Patuakhali, Bhola, Barishal, Laxmipur, Chandpur, Noakhali, Feni, Chattogram and their offshore islands and chariots are likely to be flooded by storm surges 10-15 feet above the normal astronomical tide.

Wind warning:

The coastal districts of Satkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat, Jhalakati, Pirojpur, Barguna, Patuakhali, Bhola,  Barishal, Laxmipur, Chandpur, Noakhali, Feni, Chattogram and their offshore islands and chars are likely to experience wind speed up to 140-160 kph in gusts/ squalls with heavy to very heavy falls during the passage of the cyclone.

All fishing boats and trawlers over North Bay and deep sea have been advised to take shelter immediately and will remain in shelter till further notice.

Evacuation

The government has evacuated about 23.90 lakh people and 5.43 livestock to 14,636 shelter centers in the coastal districts until Wednesday afternoon.

“Until Wednesday afternoon, 2,390,307 people and 517,432 livestock in 19 coastal districts were evacuated,” said State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Md Enamur Rahman.

Whereas, despite the severity of the 'Amphan' super-cyclone, shelter centers have been raised to 14,636, said Ali Reza Majid, Additional Secretary, Disaster Management and Ministry of Relief.

Situation in Khulna, Bagerhat, Satkhira, Bhola

Local administrative evacuated 4 Lakh against the target of 17 Lakh in the districts of Khulna, Bagerhat, and Satkhira until Wednesday noon.

“We’ve evacuated 4 lakh people to 3,007 shelters centers in Khulna, Bagerhat and Satkhira districts until Wednesday noon,” said Hossain Ali Khandaker, additional divisional commissioner, Khulna Divisional control room.

In Bhola, about 3.16 lakh people and 1.36 livestock were taken to shelter centers of Charfashion, Monpura, and other remote islands, said Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Masud Alam.

In the meantime, thousands of people have been brought from remote islands to the mainland, the DC added.

Over 7,000 residents were stranded in Kukri Char and Dhalchar when the roads in the Dhalchar Union were submerged.

Source: UNB