Dhaka: Authorities here tonight ordered a massive evacuation in coastlines with the Met office issuing "great danger signal" for southwestern Mongla and danger signal for southeastern Chittagong and Cox's Bazar ports in view of the severe cyclonic storm created over Bay of Bengal. The concerned deputy commissioners have been asked to take necessary steps, including evacuation, Disaster Management Ministry's joint secretary Mohsina Ferdowsi told PTI.
She said a central control room in Dhaka was in constant touch with local administration in 16 coastal districts and the concerned agencies to monitor the situation while an emergency inter-ministerial meeting was convened for tomorrow morning to set strategies for coordinated rescue and relief efforts. Her comments came as the met office at 8 pm issued the "danger signals" for the three maritime ports as the severe cyclonic storm SIDR with hurricane strong winds at its core roars over the Bay of Bengal and moving towards the northern shoreline.
The earlier met office bulletin issued at 6 pm said the cyclone was packing winds of 165 km per hour (kmph) at its core and was rising to 185 kmph in gusts or squalls the storm was 755 km south west of Chittagong, 675km south-south west of Cox's Bazar and 705km south of Mongla ports. Meteorologists said the cyclone could hit the coastline with full vigor late tomorrow while its "peripheral winds" could brush the coast from midnight tonight whipping up surges three to five feet above the "normal astronomical tides".
