Mahasen’s path to be tracked on Wednesday

Whether Cyclone Mahasen would hit the shores of Bangladesh would be known only on Wednesday, Mohammad Shah Alam, Deputy Director of Meteorology Department told reporters after a meeting of the ‘Inter-Ministerial Disaster Management Coordination Committee’ held at the Secretariat on Tuesday.

The meeting was convened to take stock of the precautionary measures taken in view of the impending cyclone.

The Met office will be able forecast Mahasen’s movement once it comes within its 400 kilometre radar.

Shah Alam said the cyclone was situated at least 1,100 kilometres away from Bangladesh’s coastal area. There was still no confirmation about where it would head, but it might hit Barisal and other vulnerable areas on the coast, he added.

He however advised people of the coastal region to take precautions.

Adequate measures have been taken to handle post-disaster effects at 13 coastal districts, said Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali.

Leave of government officials posted at these vulnerable districts has been cancelled, said the minister.

There is still no confirmation about Mahasen’s possible route, he said

A total of 49,365 volunteers have been making announcements to create awareness and to prevent panic.

Presently 3,770 shelters are readied to move in affected people if Mahasen cause any devastation. If necessary schools will be closed to use buildings as shelters.

There are five medical teams deployed at each districts, said the minister.