Cyclone Amphan: Thousands evacuated in Satkhira

As super cyclone ‘Amphan’ is approaching fast, the district administration of Satkhira has taken all the necessary preparations to tackle it in addition to evacuating thousands of vulnerable people, reports UNB.

Satkhira deputy commissioner SM Mostafa Kamal said several thousand people of Shyamnagar and Ashashuni upazilas have been evacuated to cyclone centres.

The evacuees have been provided with masks and towels to use so that they can avert the possible transmission of novel coronavirus, he added.

Besides, control rooms have been opened in all the unions and upazilas while 250 tonnes of rice and Tk 1.2 million in cash have been allocated, the DC said.

Meanwhile, many people have taken shelter in 1,272 cyclone centres in the district while some others in schools and mosques.

ANM Abujar Gifari, Upazila Nirbahi officer (UNO) of Shyamnagar upazila, said 65,000 people of coastal areas in the upazila have moved to cyclone centres.

The coastal area of Satkhira has been experiencing strong winds and rains since Tuesday night due to the impact of cyclone ‘Amphan’.

Apart from the district administration, members of the police, BGB, Navy, Coast Guard and fire services are working to evacuate people from coastal islands of Gabura, Padmapukur and other unions to the cyclone shelters.

According to the latest bulletin of Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) issued at 12:00pm Wednesday, the maritime ports of Mongla and Payra have been advised to hoist great danger signal number 10 as the cyclone is all set to slam the coastal districts on Wednesday afternoon or evening.

The cyclone 'Amphan' was centred about 480 km Southwest of Chattogram port, 470 km Southwest of Cox's Bazar Port, 290 km Southwest of Mongla Port and 320 km Southwest of Payra Port, said the BMD bulletin.

It is likely to move in a North-Northeasterly direction and may cross India’s West Bengal-Bangladesh coast near the Sundarbans this afternoon or evening, the bulletin added.