Cyclone Amphan Hits Bangladesh Coast

Severe cyclone storm Amphan hit the coast of Bangladesh on Wednesday afternoon. Several areas of the Sundarbans, Mongla, and Satkhira were hit by the cyclone about 4:00 p.m.

"The Arms of Amphan reached our coast after 4 pm on Wednesday," said Shahinul Islam, a meteorologist at the Bangladesh Meteorological Department.

Met Office said that cyclone Amphan is entering the coast of Bangladesh at a lower pace of 90 km / h as it shifts course. It hit West Bengal of India with more force.

"The center of the cyclone will touch the land and then the tail. It will take a few hours to cross the coastal districts, "he said.

Shahinul added, “Now we are measuring the wind speed from different points. Soon the information will be available.”

The storm is moving towards the eastern side of the Sea Island with a wind speed of 160 kilometers per hour and will cross West Bengal and Bangladesh by 8:00 pm tonight. The speed will be coming down gradually.

However, The coastal districts of Satkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat, Jhalakathi, Pirojpur, Barguna, Patuakhali, Bhola, Barisal, Lakshmipur, Chandpur and their offshore islands and chars come under great danger signal number No 10 while coastal districts of Noakhali, Feni, Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar and their offshore islands and chars came under great danger signal number No 9.

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

Coastal districts Satkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat, Jhalakathi, Pirojpur, Barguna, Patuakhali, Bhola, Barisal, Lakshmipur, Chandpur, Noakhali, Feni, Chittagong and their offshore islands and chars are likely to experience wind speeds of up to 140-160 km / h 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.

Meanwhile, before landfall, the government evacuated more than two million people and 517,432 livestock to 14,636 shelters in 19 coastal districts by Wednesday afternoon.

Earlier, Amphan landed near the coastal districts of West Bengal, India, with a wind speed of 155 to 165 km/h gusting to 185 km/h, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.

There were no immediate reports of any casualties.

Indian Meteorological Department Chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra told a press briefing in the afternoon that the eye of the cyclone was expected to touch the land at any time.

The cyclone 's intensity near its center as the landfall process began was recorded at 160-170 km / h, gusting at 190 km / h, he said.

Heavy rain and gale wind have affected several districts in the Gangetic West Bengal since morning and the intensity of the downpour and wind increased gradually with every passing hour, according to media reports.

BMD in a bulletin earlier in the afternoon had said that Amphan was likely to make landfall on the coast between 4pm and 8pm Wednesday, with a 180-200 kph wind speed at its centre.

Maritime ports Mongla and Payra were advised to hoist great danger signal No 10 while great danger signal No 9 for Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar ports.

At 3 pm on Wednesday, the cyclone was centered at about 420 km southwest off Chittagong port, 430 km southwest off Cox’s Bazar port, 200 km southwest off Mongla port, and 250 km southwest off Payra port, said the bulleting.

Amphan is likely to move in the north-north-east direction and may start crossing the West Bengal-Bangladesh coast between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.

The maximum sustained wind speed within 80 km of the cyclone center is approximately 180 km / h rising to 200 km / h in gusts / squalls. The sea will remain very high near the center of the cyclone.