Bangladesh shuts river transports as Cyclone Titli intensifies

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority has shut river transport services until further notice, with Cyclone Titli formed in the Bay of Bengal heading to coasts.

BIWTA spokesman Mobarak Hossain Majumder confirmed the decision to bdnews24.com.

A deep depression in the Bay of Bengal turned into a severe cyclonic storm and moved north-north-west towards the coasts in Andhra and Odisha in India.

Bangladesh Meteorological Department has asked the maritime ports in Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Mongla and Payra to hoist local cautionary signal No. 4 as the sea will be rough due to the cyclone.

The cautionary signal 4 means the ports will be affected by the cyclone with a probable wind speed of 51kph to 61kph. Highest security measures are yet to be needed.

The cyclone centred  945km south-west of Chattogram port, 900km south-west of Cox’s Bazar port, 815km south-west of Mongla port and 815km south-west of Payra port on Wednesday, the Met office said in a special bulletin.

The maximum sustained wind speed within the 64km of the cyclone centre was about 90kph rising to 110kph in gusts and squalls.

The Met office has advised all fishing boats and trawlers over the north bay and deep sea to take shelter.

Cyclone Titli may intensify further and turn severe around Wednesday midnight, said the Indian Met Office. It is likely to cross the coasts in Odisha and Andhra through Gopalpur and Kalingapatnam.

The maximum sustained wind speed may turn 120-130kph rising to 145 kph in gusts and squalls.

Titli may change its course a little and move towards West Bengal after its landfall and gradually weaken, the Indian Met Office said.

It will affect the Sundarbans, Satkhira, Bagerhat and Khulna, according to meteorologists in Bangladesh.

The cyclone has caused clouds clustering in the sky in Dhaka and some other parts of the country.