Bangladesh seaports lower cautionary signals as fresh low brews in Bay

The BMD says moderate to heavy rainfall is also possible in some parts of the country

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department has instructed the seaports of Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra to lower their cautionary signals, saying there is currently no possibility of squally weather in the coastal areas.

The directive came in a special bulletin issued by the department on Tuesday, a day after a low-pressure area had formed in the north Bay of Bengal and adjacent areas, prompting authorities to raise local cautionary signal No. 3 at the four seaports.

Despite easing the caution, the BMD warned of the possibility of another low-pressure area developing within the next 48 hours.

In its regular bulletin, the Met Office said the low that had developed in the north bay and nearby areas had moved to the northwest Bay of Bengal and the coastal areas of West Bengal.

It noted the axis of the monsoon trough extended from India's Uttar Pradesh and Bihar through the centre of the low, the southern part of Bangladesh and into Assam.

The monsoon remains fairly active over Bangladesh and is moderate to strong over the northern Bay, the BMD said, adding that another low pressure may form in the east-central bay and adjacent north Bay of Bengal in the next 48 hours.

As a result, light to moderate rain or thundershowers with temporary gusty winds are likely in parts of the Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions, and in one or two places in the Rangpur, Rajshahi, Mymensingh and Dhaka divisions.

Moderate to heavy rainfall is also possible in some parts of the country, while day and night temperatures may rise slightly.

The highest rainfall in the past 24 hours was recorded in Dhaka and Bhola, with 73mm. Khulna’s Koyra registered 72mm, Satkhira 67mm and Patuakhali 61mm.

The highest temperature during the same period was 36 degrees Celsius in Syedpur of Nilphamari and Tetulia of Panchagarh, while the lowest was 24.1 degrees in Narayanganj.

Meanwhile, the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre of the Water Development Board said in its Tuesday morning bulletin that higher-than-normal tides were prevailing in the coastal rivers of the Barishal, Khulna and Chattogram divisions. The condition may continue for the next three days.

Consequently, low-lying areas near rivers in those coastal districts may face temporary flooding during high tides, the centre warned.