Bangladesh: Danger signal number 7 is issued in Mongla under the effects of cyclone Sitrang

 

Biswajit Mondal, Dhaka, Bangladesh

In Mongla, under the effects of cyclone Sitrang, danger signal number 7 has been  issued. The weather office issued the warning at 8:30 am on Monday (October 24). Meanwhile, due to this danger signal, the movement of goods at Mongla port has been completely stopped. Five commercial ships, including cars, could not enter the port due to the storm. Besides, three ships could not leave the port even after the release of the goods.

The people of the Sundarbans region, including Mongla, are in an extreme panic. The upazila administration has kept 103 cyclone shelters ready. However, the water level in the Mongla and Pashur rivers has increased by five to seven feet. Amresh Chandra Dhali, Mongla Upazila Meteorological Office in-charge, said the deep depression turned into a cyclonic storm on Monday. Heavy rains have also started as the wind speed has increased. To understand the situation, danger signal number seven has been issued. If it is 75 to 80 kilometres per hour, then it will take the form of a cyclone. Sitrang will cross Bangladesh in the early hours of Tuesday (October 25).

Meanwhile, as a result of the sea being rough as well as the continuous rain storm since this morning, there is a new panic in the minds of the people of the coast. Sue

Md Shahjalal, 48, Belal Hossain, and Roymon Begum, residents of Joymoni, a nearby area of the Sundarbans, said it has been raining heavily with wind since the morning, when the storm started. We are scared of going to the cyclone shelter.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Kamlesh Majumder said the storm has already started. In addition to the chairmen of the six unions in the upazila, non-governmental development agencies and the CPP (Cyclone Preparedness Program) are also working. Besides, people have started taking shelter in 103 cyclone shelters. Besides, dry food has been arranged for them. Three separate control rooms have also been opened by the upazila, municipality and port authorities, he said.

CPP's Mongla upazila team leader, Mahmud Hasan, said they have hung two signal flags in different areas of the coast after issuing the 7-point signal. Their 1320 volunteers have started working in the field to deal with the storm and perform their duties.

The Mongla Port Authority's Harbour Master, Captain Shaheen Majid, said that after the danger signal number seven was issued, they held an emergency meeting and issued the port's own alert number three.

Besides, the work of 13 commercial ships stationed at the port has been completely stopped since the night of Robaba. Five ships, including fertilizers, coal, and cars, could not enter the port due to the storm. He also said that three ships could not leave the port even after the release of the goods was completed

Meanwhile, the water level is expected to rise by five feet above normal due to the impact of the solar eclipse on the same day as the cyclone that hit the coast. Masum Billah, executive engineer of Bagerhat Water Development Board, said the water level has increased by five to seven feet due to the impact of the deep depression and the new moon in the Bay of Bengal. For this, the coastal areas have been asked to be cautious.