Cyclone Sitrang lashes coastal areas

Cyclone Sitrang, which triggered high tides and heavy rainfall in many areas of Bangladesh throughout Monday, is likely to cross the country’s coastal areas on Tuesday.

According to the latest forecast of Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), the country’s 13 costal districts will be directly hit by the cyclone when it makes landfall.

Satkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat, Jhalakathi, Pirojpur, Barguna, Patuakhali, Bhola, Barishal, Lakshmipur, Chandpur, Noakhali and Feni districts started experiencing the impact of the cyclone since Monday evening. Vehicular movement through the connecting roads between many districts snapped since then.

Meanwhile, BIWTA has suspended movement of all types passenger vessels on waterways across the country until further notice.

At least one woman died on Monday at Lohagara upazila in Narail after she fell under a large tree branch blown off by gusty wind.

Trees and electric poles were uprooted at different districts, mostly in Barishal Division, by strong wind. Power supply was also suspended in different districts, including Barishal, Patuakhali, Pirojpur, and Madaripur, as many electric poles were uprooted and wires were snapped. Over 16 lakh consumers are facing electricity disruption.

Meanwhile, broadband internet services were also impacted in many regions by the bad weather caused by the cyclone as power cuts became frequent.

Confirming the development, Emdadul Hoque, president of the Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh, said it is not possible to keep the network running in areas without electricity.

Mobile networks are also facing disruption as authorities are struggling to tackle the issues amid the adverse weather conditions caused by Sitrang.

Meanwhile, the inclememt weather led to the sinking of 13 trawlers in a rough Bay of Bengal off Saint Martin’s Island in Teknaf upazila of Cox’s Bazar.

The trawlers sank around 11am and seven of them are yet to be found, said Mojibur Rahman, chairman of Saint Martin’s Union. While many of the fisherment managed to swim ashore, it is not clear how many have gone missing.

According to BMD, Sitrang is likely to make landfall near Khepupara along the Barishal-Chittagong coast, and heavy rains will continue to lash the country because of it.

Authorities in Chattogram and other hilly districts warned that landslides could destroy homes and kill people if incessant rains continue, and urged everyone to stay safw.

A low pressure formed in Andaman Sea on October 18 had moved northwestward towards central Bay of Bengal and became a depression on October 21. It became a deep depression early on October 23 and a full cyclonic storm by 7pm on Monday.

Monitoring cell

The Prime Minister’s Office has opened a monitoring cell to coordinate disaster management and relief distribution along with concerned ministries and departments. It will work for 24 hours as per the prime minister’s instruction.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is monitoring the developments centring Cyclone Sitrang round the clock and giving necessary instructions to the government officials to take steps to minimise loss of lives and properties.

Her Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim told reporters that she has already given various directives to different ministries, directorates and other government offices in this regard.

She is also collecting information from the field level and giving necessary instructions to the central Awami League leaders to assist the authorities and affected people, he said.

Anyone can communicate with the monitoring cell through its hotline numbers — 01769010986, 02-55029550 and 02-58153022. The fax number is 02-9102469.

Danger signals

The maritime ports of Mongla and Payra have been advised to hoist danger signal No 7 while Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar danger signal No 6 instead of local cautionary signal number 4, according to BMD’s latest weather bulletin available till 8pm.

It said a strong wind could drive the storm surge to a height of 5-8 feet above the normal astronomical tide in the region. Besides, the river ports of these districts have been advised to hoist danger signal 3.

Danger signal number means the wind speed will remain in between 62-88 km per hour. And the cyclone will cross above or nearest place of the port.

The Met Office in Dhaka said the most vulnerable coastal districts – Satkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat, Jhalakathi, Pirojpur, Barguna, Patuakhali, Bhola, Barishal, Lakshmipur, Chandpur, Noakhali, Feni — and three others offshore islands could face flooding because of storm surge if the cyclone hit Bangladesh straight.

At a press briefing on Monday, State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Md Enamur Rahman said there is not much to worry about as Sitrang is unlikely to become a super storm.

The cyclone over east-central Bay and adjoining west-central Bay is moving in a north-northwesterly direction and is likely to intensify into a severe cyclone, he said.

The state minister said the army, the navy and the coast guard will evacuate people from the hard-to-reach areas and danger zones to the safe shelters as a precaution.

The Fire Service and Civil Defence and the Red Crescent are also working alongside the volunteers of Cyclone Preparedness Program to ensure safety to the affected people, he added.

“We have prepared a total of 7,030 cylcone shelters in 15 coastal districts where around 2.5 million people can be accommodated,” he said.

The state minister also added that in each of these districts, they have allocated Tk 5 lakh and supplied daily essentials like rice and lentil so that people can eat cooked food. Besides, dry foods like biscuits have also been made available so that people do not suffer from hunger.

According to Inter Service Public Relations Directorate, 17 ships of Bangladesh Navy, two Maritime Patrol Aircraft and two helicopters have completed all necessary preparations for deployment in Chattogram, Khulna and Mongla naval areas for emergency rescue, relief and medical assistance after Cyclone Sitrang.

These ships have already been prepared with relief materials to provide emergency rescue, relief and medical assistance to the sea and coastal areas as soon as possible. In addition, naval contingents have been kept ready for deployment in post-cyclone coastal areas.

Search and rescue operations will be conducted in the Bay of Bengal based on the information provided by the aircrafts in conducting rescue operations in sea and coastal affected areas whenever necessary.

Heavy rains disrupt life

Torrential rains triggered by Sitrang threw normal life out of gear and caused sufferings to dwellers of capital Dhaka and all other major cities on Monday.

BMD recorded 28 mm rains in 9hours till 12pm. The people, especially office and school goers, struggled to reach their destinations amid the rain due to lack of public transport in the morning.

The auto-rickshaw drivers and rickshaw-pullers charged extra fares from passengers. The number of private vehicles on the roads was also low.

Day labourers and other low-income people were seen passing idle time due to lack of work. Many preferred to stay indoors due to the incessant rain that started on Sunday night.

Airports halt flights

The operational activities at Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar and Barishal airports were shut on Monday afternoon due to inclement weather caused by the cyclone.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) took the decision as a precautionary measure regarding the possible impact of the cyclonic storm at the airports. The CAAB said the take-off and landing at the airports stopped from 3pm and their operations will remain shut till 12 noon Tuesday.

A decision on the resumption of flight operations will be taken later depending on weather conditions, it said.