Cyclone ‘Sitrang’ completed crossing Barishal-Chattogram coast near Bhola at midnight past Monday and weakened rapidly into a depression by giving precipitation and now lies as a land depression.
‘Coast crossing cyclonic storm ‘Sitrang’ moved north-northeastwards very fast, completed crossing Barishal-Chattogram coast near Bhola at midnight last night,’ said a latest special bulletin of the met office in Dhaka.
‘Maritime ports of Mongla, Payra and Chattogram have been advised to lower danger signal no. 07 (seven), but instead hoist local cautionary signal no. three (r) three,’ the bulletin said.
Maritime port of Cox’s Bazar has been advised to lower danger signal no. 06 (six), but instead hoist local cautionary signal no. three (r) three.
Under the influence of new moon phase and steep pressure gradient the low-lying areas of the coastal districts Satkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat, Jhalokathi, Pirojpur, Barguna, Patuakhali, Bhola, Baristial, Laxmipur, Chandpur, Noakhali, Feni, Chattogram, Cox’s bazar and their offshore islands and chars are likely to be inundated by the wind driven surge height of 03-05 feet above normal astronomical tide.
All fishing boats and trawlers over north bay and deep sea have been advised to remain in shelter till further notice.
It said that no further special weather bulletin will be issued in this series.
Cyclonic storm Sitrang has lost its strength as it made landfall and its centre touched Bangladesh coastline at about 9:00pm on Monday.
Earlier meteorologist Md Shahinul Islam of Bangladesh Meteorological Department said that Sitrang was losing its strength rapidly as it started crossing coastline since 9:00pm.
‘Every cyclone starts losing strength after it landfalls and its eye moves over land,’ he said.
However, over 2.19 lakh people from 15 coastal districts of the country were evacuated until 5 pm on Monday.
All the educational institutions of Khulna, Barishal and Chittagong divisions were declared closed due to cyclone Sitrang.
The education ministry has given instructions to use the educational institutions in the cyclone-affected areas as shelters, according to a press release of the education ministry.
