Super cyclone Amphan hurtling towards Bangladesh

The very severe cyclonic storm ‘Amphan’ has intensified into a super cyclone, prompting Bangladesh to issue danger signals for maritime ports and prepare for evacuations in the coastal districts.

It moved northwards towards the coasts over the west central Bay of Bengal and was centred at about 800-900 kilometres from the maritime ports at 3am on Tuesday, according to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department.

It is likely to move in a northerly direction and then recurve north-northeastwards before cutting its path through the Bangladesh coast between Khulna and Chattogram between Tuesday late night and Wednesday afternoon, said Senior Meteorologist Md Bazlur Rashid.

Mongla and Payra ports were asked to keep hoisting Danger Signal No. 7 while Chattogram and Cox's Bazar ports were issued Danger Signal No. 6.

Coastal districts of Satkhira, Khulna, Bagherhat, Jhalokathi, Pirozpur, Borguna, Patuakhali, Bhola, Barishal, Laxmipur, Chandpur, Noakhali, Feni, and Chattogram will be under the danger signals.

Boats were docked on the bank of the Karnaphuli River on Monday as the storm Amphan intensified into a super cyclone over the Bay of Bengal and approached the coasts. Photo: Suman Babu

The low-lying areas of these districts may experience flooding from tidal waves 4 to 5 feet higher than normal and heavy rainfall with winds packing speeds of up to 160kph during Cyclone Amphan, the Met Office warned.

Maximum sustained wind speed within 90km of the cyclone centre was about 225kph rising to 245kph in gusts or squalls. The sea will remain very high near the cyclone centre.

All fishing boats and trawlers over the north Bay and deep sea have been advised to take shelter immediately and remain there until further notice.

PREPARATIONS AMID OUTBREAK

Bangladesh has readied 12,078 cyclone shelters and the evacuation is expected to begin on Tuesday afternoon, officials said.

The shelter homes will be able to keep 5,190,144 people under safe roofs when the cyclone sweeps over the coastlines.

All preparations are being taken “following the health safety guidelines” amid the coronavirus outbreak, State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Enamur Rahman told an online press briefing. Local authorities were asked to prepare the shelters so that evacuees can maintain physical distance and wear masks.

Volunteers started making announcements to draw everyone to the shelters.

INDIA EVACUATES THOUSANDS

India began evacuating thousands of villagers and halted port operations.

The states of Odisha and West Bengal sent disaster management teams to move families from homes of mud and thatch to places of shelter from storm, Reuters reported.Authorities at the port of Paradip in Odisha ordered ships to move out to sea to avoid damage, according to the report.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to hold a meeting in New Delhi, the capital, to plan how to mitigate damage and injuries.

The cyclone season usually runs from April to December, with severe storms forcing the evacuations of tens of thousands, causing widespread death and damage to crops and property, both in India and Bangladesh.

India, with a coastline of 7,516 km (4,670 miles), gets hit by more than a tenth of all the world's tropical cyclones, the bulk of them hitting its eastern coast around the Bay of Bengal.