ZCZC
BSS-46
FANI-DISTRICT-PREPAREDNESS
Coastal districts prepared to face ‘Fani’
DHAKA, May 02, 2019 (BSS) – The country’s coastal districts have taken all-out preparations to cope with any possible situation that might rise due to advancing cyclonic storm ‘Fani’.
Met office said here today that ‘Fani’ is likely to make landfall in Bangladesh’s coastal belt tomorrow evening.
Maritime ports of Mongla and Payra have been advised to hoist danger signal number seven and Chattogram Port has been asked to hoist danger signal number six as the very severe cyclonic storm “Fani” lies over the West-central Bay and adjoining area.
Beside, the Cox’s Bazar port has been advised to keep hoisting local warning signal number four, said a special weather bulletin here.
The Disaster Management and Relief Ministry has opened control room in 19 costal districts and some 56,000 volunteers have been kept ready.
The volunteers are taking people and their livestock from vulnerable areas to nearby cyclone shelter centers.
Besides, Armed Forces Division, Bangladesh Red Crescent Society and Fire Service and Civil Defence have also opened control rooms.
In the latest bulletin of the Metrological Department here said the very severe cyclonic storm over the West-central Bay and adjoining area moved north-northeastwards further over the same area.
It was centred at 09 am today about 1065 km southwest of Chattogram Port, 1025 km southwest of Cox’s Bazar Port, 915 km southwest of Mongla Port and 925 km southwest of Payra Port, it added.
Maximum sustained wind speed within 74 kms of the storm centre is about 160 kph rising to 180 kph in gusts or squalls. Sea will remain very high near the cyclone centre.
Coastal districts of Bhola, Barguna, Patuakhali, Barishal, Pirojpur, Jhalokathi, Bagerhat, Khulna, Satkhira and their offshore islands and chars will come under danger signal number seven.
Coastal districts of Chattogram, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Feni, Chandpur and their offshore islands and chars will come under danger signal number six.
Under the influence of the very severe cyclonic storm “Fani” and the new moon phase, the low-lying areas of the coastal districts of Chattogram, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Feni, Chandpur, Barguna, Bhola, Patuakhali, Barishal, Pirojpur, Jhalokathi, Bagerhat, Khulna, Satkhira and their offshore islands and chars are likely to be inundated by storm surge of 4-5 feet height above normal astronomical tide.
The coastal districts of Chattogram, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Feni, Chandpur, Barguna, Patuakhali, Barishal, Bhola, Pirojpur, Jhalokathi, Bagerhat, Khulna, Satkhira and their offshore islands and chars are likely to experience wind speed up to 90-120 kph in gusts or squalls with heavy to very heavy falls during the passage of the storm.
All fishing boats and trawlers over the North Bay and deep sea have been advised to take shelter immediately and will remain in shelter till further notice.
Chattogram
Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) has already stopped loading and unloading of goods from the vessels anchored at both port jetties and outer anchorage in the backdrop of the cyclonic storm that formed over east central Bay.
Acting Deputy Commissioner (DC) Delwar Hossain said standby medical teams have been kept ready, with adequate relief materials including drinking water and dry foods in all shelter centres.
Delwar Hossain said a total of 2,758 cyclone shelter centres including 2,269 primary schools have been opened in all coastal upazilas of the district.
A total of 284 hundred medical teams with 5,000 health workers, adequate number of volunteers of the Red Crescent Society have been kept ready and the district administration is monitoring the situation round the clock, said Dr Azizur Rahman, Civil Surgeon of Chattogram.
Cox’s Bazar
Local administration in the district has taken all-out preparation to face ‘Fani’ as the super cyclonic storm continues to move towards the country’s coastal belt.
Aiming to minimise any possible loss and damage in the upcoming cyclonic storm, the Cox’s Bazar District Administration today held a preparatory meeting at the Deputy Commissioner’s Office here to address the cyclone.
Chaired by acting Deputy Commissioner Md Ashraful Afsar, the meeting was attended by officials of different public agencies and representatives from non-government organisations and humanitarian agencies.
During the meeting, it was informed that about 6,450 volunteers are ready to address Fani in Cox’s Bazar under 430 units of the Cyclone Preparedness Programme (CPP).
Besides, about 1,700 volunteers of the Red Crescent Society also have remained prepared to deal with the consequence of the cyclone.
Satkhira
Satkhira Deputy Commissioner SM Mostafa Kamal said 137 government cyclone centres and other non-government shelters have been opened in the district. Announcements are being made through loudspeakers in the coastal upazilas of Shyamnagar, Ashashuni and Kaliganj, and red flags raised in every union.
Leaves of all government employees have been cancelled, he said at an emergency press conference this morning. As emergency aid, 116 metric tons of rice, 3,000 packets of dry and other foods, drinking water, Tk 1,92,500, and house building materials have been stored up.
Bagerhat
Bagerhat Deputy Commissioner Tapan Kumar said, 234 cyclone shelters have been prepared and all the leaves of the government employees have been cancelled.
As part of preparations, ten medical teams are kept ready as nine control rooms in each upazila of the district have been opened, he said at an emergency meeting yesterday.
All the employees of the Sundarbans unit under the Forest Department have been asked to stay safe.
Authorities are evacuating the tourists of Harbaria and Koromjol. Fire brigade, Red Crescent, law enforcers and volunteers have been asked to stay ready, he said.
Khulna
Khulna district administration has opened a central control room in its office and nine others in nine upazilas of the district.
A total of 250 shelters have been opened and 256 metric tons of rice, Tk 3,32,000 cash, and emergency food supplies are ready for distribution,
Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Helal Hossain told our Khulna correspondent.
Concerned officials and volunteers have remained alert and announcements are being made with necessary instructions regarding food, medicine and medical care, he said.
Apart from these, 114 medical teams have been formed, Civil Surgeon ASM Abdur Razzak said. The water level of the sea has increased by four to five feet today during high tide, according to Bangladesh Water Development Board sources.
Barisal
Using a hand mike, Barishal City Corporation Mayor Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah instructed people what they should do before the Fani hits.
A total of 232 shelters and 10 control rooms have been opened in the district this morning, according to sources at District Relief and Rehabilitation Office.
BIWTA suspended movement of all types of water vessel in the district today, reports our local correspondent.
Bhola
A total of 657 cyclone shelters have been prepared and seven control rooms have been opened in the district as the very severe cyclonic storm “Fani” continues to move towards the country’s coastal belt, Bhola Deputy Commissioner Md Masud Alam Siddiq said today.
Deputy Director of Cyclone Preparedness Programme (CPP) Md Shahabuddin Miah said a total of 1,200 volunteers are working in the field-level. Red Crescent unit general secretary Azizul Islam said about 500 volunteers are working in the field levels.
Dry foods are ready for distribution among the victims of the cyclone, he added.
The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority has suspended river transport services on all routes due to cyclonic storm Fani that is likely to hit the coastal belts of Bangladesh on Friday.
Weekly holidays of all officials and employees of the BIWTA have been cancelled to tackle the imminent natural disaster, State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury said.
Eight Community Radio Stations broadcasting in the coastal region of Bangladesh is now continuously reporting on how to address the cyclonic storm ‘Fani’.
BSS/MKD/KU/2106 HRS