AmphanGreat danger signal 10 for Payra, Mongla and 9 in Ctg

Bangladesh's Met office has advised maritime ports Payra and Mongla to hoist great danger signal number 10 while Chattogram and Cox's Bazar asked to hoist signal 9 as extremely severe cyclonic storm Amphan is approaching towards coastlines.

Confirming the matter, Pradip Kanti Roay, duty assistant of Patenya Met office in Chattoram said, "The cyclone Amphan was centred about 565 km southwest of Chattogram port, 545 km southwest of Cox’s Bazar port, 390 km south-southwest of Mongla port and 410 km south-southwest of Payra port at 6am today (May 20).

Cyclone Amphan, moving at a wind speed of 200 to 220 kilometers per hour within 85 kilometers of the centre of cyclone.

The coastal districts of Bangladesh have been experiencing light rain and stormy weather from Tuesday evening.

"We have taken required preparation to minimise the losses of lives and assets," said Patuakhali's Baufol Upazila Nirbahi Officer Zakir Hossain.

Cox's Bazar Deputy Commissioner Kamal Hossain said, "District administration has taken steps to prevent losses by the cyclone Amphan along with ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Nearly 600 shelter centres, 71 medical team and eight rapid response team have been kept ready."

Satkhira Met Official Zulfikar Ali said, "The coastal districts are already witnessing rain and stormy winds due to the impact of Amphan. There is possibility of five to ten feet high storm surge."

Under the influence of the cyclone and the new moon phase, the low-lying areas of the coastal districts of Satkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat, Jhalokathi, Pirojpur, Borguna, Patuakhali, Bhola, Barishal, Laxmipur, Chandpur, Noakhali, Feni, Chattogram and their offshore islands and chars are likely to be flooded by a storm surge of 5-10 feet height above normal astronomical tide,

The districts are likely to experience a wind speed up to 140-160 km/h in gusts/squalls with heavy to very heavy rainfalls during the passage of the cyclone.

Super Cyclone Amphan weakened into an extremely severe cyclonic storm on Tuesday evening, triggering heavy rain and gusts of wind in India's Odisha and rain in some parts of West Bengal.

Cyclone Amphan is forecast to be the worst storm over the Bay of Bengal since the 1991.

In the history of independent Bangladesh, the 1991 cyclone was among the deadliest tropical cyclones on record. The cyclone caused at least 138,866 deaths at the last week of April of that year.

However, in 1970, Bhola cyclone killed more than 5 lakh people after it hit the entire coast of Bangladesh (pre-independence period).

Most affected were Chattogram, Barguna, Khepupara, Patuakhali, north of Char Burhanuddin, Char Tazumuddin and south of Maijdi, Haringhata.

Char residents vulnerable to looming Cyclone Amphan