KHULNA, May 3, 2019 (BSS) – Local administration today started evacuation and shifting coastal people to cyclone shelter centres as the severe cyclonic storm ‘Fani’ is likely to hit Khulna and southwest coastal area of the country by today midnight.
People from Sundarban and the adjoining areas have started to be shifted to cyclone centres and other safe places aiming to minimize losses of lives and damages of property from the devastating cyclone, district administration sources said.
According to district administration control room, Villagers of Koyra,
Dakop and Paikgachha have already taken shelter at the upazila cyclone
centres with the help of local administration.
Towhidul Islam, in-charge of Khulna district administration control Room,
told BSS, hundreds of coastal people are expected to take shelter in cyclone
centres by this afternoon.
The special bulletin issued by Bangladesh Meteorological Development this
morning forecast that ‘Fani’ may move into a north-northeasterly direction
further, cross Odisha coast of India by this afternoon and then moved to
north-northeasterly direction over Odisha-West Bengal coastal area, and reach
Khulna and adjoining southwestern part of Bangladesh by today midnight.
The very severe cyclonic storm over northwest bay and adjoining west-
central Bay moved slightly north-northeastwards over the same area and was
centred at 6 am today about 605 km southwest of Mongla port, 635 km southwest
of Payra port, 770 km west-southwest of Cox’s Bazar port and 790 km west-
southwest of Chattogram port, it said.
Local administration, however, has taken all-out preparation to face
‘Fani’.
Talking to BSS, Khulna Deputy Commissioner Helal Hossain said a total of
325 cyclone shelters and 114 medical teams have been kept ready with
necessary medicine and water purifier plants to face disaster situation after
making the landfall of Fani.
At least 3,500 volunteers and special teams of army, navy, coast guard,
police and answers are ready to help people before and aftermath of the
cyclone, he said.
Water Development Board also has taken highest preparation to reconstruct
infrastructures such as embankment and roads, if these are affected by the
cyclone.