DHAKA, May 24, 2021 (BSS) – State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr M Enamur Rahman today said allout preparations have been taken to face the cyclonic storm ‘Yaas’ as the cyclonic storm over East central Bay and adjoining area likely to hit north Odisha-West Bengal and Khulna coast by early morning on May 26.
Maximum sustained wind speed within 54 kms of the cyclone center is about 62kph rising to 88kphin gusts or squalls.
Sea will remain very rough near the cyclone center, according to latest special weather bulletin issued by the storm warning center of the meteorological department here this afternoon.
The field level officials including police, Ansar, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), volunteers of Cyclone Preparedness Programme(CPP) remain standby and they will work as per the instructions.
The state minister said this while addressing a meeting on cyclone preparation at the ministry’s conference room here today.
Dr Enamur Rahman, however, told the meeting that the possibility of cyclone hit on Bangladesh coast is less if the cyclone move continuously in present direction. But the gusty wind likely to sweep over the country due to the cyclone, he added.
“The depression has turned into cyclonic storm at 6:00am today”, he said.
“We are still risk free as the cyclone ‘Yaas’ is now centered 500kilometers from Indian Odisha coast and 605 kilometers from Bangladesh coast,” he said citing latest cyclone bulletin. Maritime ports of Chattogram, Cox’sBazar, Mongla and Payra have been advised to keep hoisted distant warning signal number two, said the special bulletin.
“We are continuously carrying out strict surveillance on the cyclone ‘Yaas’ and it will be continued till finish of the disaster after landing on the coast. We will move the people to the flood shelter center immediately when the cyclonic storm will change its direction,” he told the meeting. “All the flood shelter centers have been kept ready,” he said.
Disaster Management and Relief Secretary M Mohsin, Additional Secretary Shah Mohammad Nasim, Director General of Disaster Management Directorate Atiqul Islam, CPP Director Ahmedul Huq, Director of the Meteorology Department Shamsuddin Ahmed and Senior Ministry officials, among others, attended the meeting.