Dailynewsun Desk:
The center of the cyclone ‘Yaas’ is unlikely to cross the Bangladesh coast and if the current course continues, it will cross Odisha and adjoining West Bengal, India during noon of May 26.
The government has started taking preparation as Police, Ansar, BGB personnel and volunteers of Cyclone Preparedness Programme are kept ready and will work according to instructions, said state minister for relief and disaster management Dr Enamur Rahman at a meeting at the secretariat on Monday, reports BSS.
Click here to see live Cyclone YAAS.
The cyclone is currently 500 km away from Odisha and 605 km away from Bangladesh’s coastal area, he said, adding that the department of disaster management is closely observing the cyclone and will work accordingly.
“The center of the cyclone ‘Yaas’ is unlikely to cross the Bangladesh coast and if the current course continues, it will cross Odisha and adjoining West Bengal, India,” said Bangladesh Meteorological Department director Shamsuddin Ahmed.
However, Khulna, Satkhira and Bagerhat District Administrations, Mongla Port Authority, Bangladesh Navy, Bangladesh Coast Guard (BCG) of Mongla West Zone are taking preparations to face the cyclone if it hits Bangladesh coast.
Over 3,000 cyclone shelter centers are being prepared for shifting over five lakh coastal people. Around 200 medical teams in Khulna, Bagerhat and Satkhira coastal districts have been formed.
Khulna Divisional Administration in an emergency meeting at its conference room today decided to keep standby medical teams with adequate relief materials including drinking water and dry foods in all shelter centers during pre and post cyclone situation.
Divisional Commissioner Mohammad Ismail Hossain chaired the meeting attended by decided Deputy Commissioners, high officials of law enforcement agencies.
Khulna District Disaster and Relief office Md. Azizul Islam Zoardar said 16 control rooms will be set up.
He said, safe pure drinking water and dry foods have been sent to the coastal areas and Taka one lakh has already been disbursed to each UNO.
The Mongla Port Authority (MPA) will suspend its activities if the cyclonic storm will be approaching toward the Khulna coastal belt.
Maritime ports of Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra have been advised to keep hoisted distant warning signal number two, said a Met office bulletin this evening.
The cyclonic storm “YAAS” over the East Central Bay and adjoining area remained practically stationary over the same area.
It was centered at 6pm today about 655 kms south-southwest of Chattogram Port, 590 kms south-southwest of Cox’s Bazar Port, 630 kms south of Mongla Port and 585 kms south of Payra Port, according to the bulletin.
Due to favourable atmospheric conditions the cyclone is likely to intensify further, move in a north-northwesterly direction and may reach North West Bay off north Odisha-West Bengal-Khulna coast by May 26 early morning.
Maximum sustained wind speed within 54kms of the cyclone center is about 62 kph rising to 88 kph in gusts or squalls. Sea will remain very rough near the cyclone center.
All fishing boats and trawlers over the North Bay and deep sea have been advised to take shelter and remain in shelter till further notice.
According to India Met office, the cyclone is very likely to cross north Odisha-West Bengal coasts between Paradip and Sagar Islands around Balasore during noon of May 26 as a very severe cyclonic storm.
