Danger signals at Bangladesh ports as Cyclone Remal forms over Bay of Bengal

Coastal areas are likely to be inundated by wind-driven surge, the Meteorological Department warns

The deep depression over the Bay of Bengal has intensified into Cyclone Remal, prompting the Bangladesh authorities to hoist danger signals at maritime ports.

It is likely to intensify further and move northwards to the coasts, Bangladesh Meteorological Department said in a special bulletin on Saturday evening.

It asked the ports of Payra and Mongla to lower local cautionary signal No. 3 and hoist danger signal No. 7, as the storm was centred at 365 to 405 kilometres from these ports.

For Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar ports, the danger signal No. was 6. The storm centre was 400 to 455 kilometres away from these ports.

The cyclone was packing winds of up to 88kph at its centre, where the sea is very rough.

Coastal areas in the districts of Satkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat, Pirojpur, Jhalakathi, Borguna, Bhojla, Patuakhali, Barishal, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Feni, Cumilla, Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar are likely to be inundated by wind-driven surge, the Meteorological Department has warned.

Along with these districts, the rest of the country will experience heavy to very heavy rainfall.

Earlier, the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority ordered a suspension of river transport services, including passenger launches, in the coastal areas.

The disaster management and relief ministry instructed Satkhira, Bagerhat, Khulna, Barguna, Patuakhali, and Bhola districts to take special precautions to combat the effects of the storm.