Bangladesh evacuates 800,000 as cyclone hits coast

By SM Najmus Sakib

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) – A deep depression in the Bay of Bengal that has intensified into a severe cyclone made landfall on the Bangladesh coast Sunday, forcing the authorities to evacuate over 800,000 people.

Several coastal districts are said to have submerged due to a 2.5-3.5 meter (8-12 feet) tidal surge.

The cyclone, named Remal, made landfall at 9 p.m. local time (1500 GMT) but had already caused heavy rains, storms, and high tides.

“Remal would take six to seven hours to cross the Bangladesh coast,” meteorologist Muhammad Abul Kalam Mallik told Anadolu.

“We will have to wait to learn the details of the cyclone as we don’t have a live observation system,” the Bangladesh Meteorological Department official said.

According to Mallik, cyclone Remal had made landfall near south-central Bangladesh and West Bengal's Sagar Island.

Bangladesh State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Md. Mohibur Rahman told reporters in Dhaka that they have evacuated over 800,000 people from 16 coastal districts and urged people to go to cyclone centers as the government has prepared 8,000 to 9,000 shelters.

Earlier, the met office had advised to hoist great danger signal No. 10 for maritime ports of Mongla and Payra, and great danger signal No. 9 to Chattogram and Cox's Bazar seaports.

During the landfall and crossing, cyclone Remal was expected to cause a maximum wind speed of 110-130 kph along the coast, with 3 to 6-meter tidal surges.

The entire southwestern Satkhira and Cox's Bazar coasts are feared to be affected by the cyclone, said the Bangladesh Met office.

So far there have been reports of two casualties when a youth and an elderly man were swept away by a tidal surge caused by the cyclone in coastal Satkhira and Patuakhali districts.