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The Bangladeshi authorities evacuate thousands of people living in coastal areas before the arrival of cyclone Sitrang, which according to forecasts will make landfall tomorrow, also affecting neighboring India.
Currently located about 500 kilometers southwest of the port of Mongla and with winds of up to 88 kilometers per hour, Sitrang is expected to hit the coast between midnight and early Tuesday, a spokesman for the Bangladesh Meteorology Department Abdul Mannan said.
According to the Meteorological Department, Cyclone 'Sitrang' has crossed the Bangladesh coast near Barisal between 9.30 to 11.30 pm on Monday 24 October 2022. Meanwhile, the speed of stormy winds was recorded at 80 km to 100 kmph. The weather is likely to improve in the districts of South Bengal from Tuesday i.e. this afternoon.
The cyclone moved from North Bay of Bengal towards Bangladesh at a speed of 56 kmph, with its impact, the coastal districts of South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas and East Midnapore of West Bengal recorded moderate to heavy rains.
The director of the Cyclone Preparedness Program in Bangladesh, Ahmadul Haque, told EFE that the evacuations began at dawn in some remote areas and continued today.
"We have begun to evacuate people from the most at risk areas in our thirteen coastal districts," he said, although he avoided giving an approximate figure "because the process continues."
Haque said that the evacuees are being transferred to the 4,100 available shelters, as well as other buildings resistant to strong winds, such as schools, by tens of thousands of volunteers.
Impact of storm on northeastern states
Today, October 25, heavy to very heavy rains are expected in most of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura. Heavy rain is forecast in isolated parts of Arunachal Pradesh on 26 October.
Due to the cyclone, heavy rains were recorded in the southeast of neighboring Bangladesh.
The Weather Department said it is forecast to weaken to a depression and then a low pressure Tuesday night.
Intermittent rain in West Bengal on Monday forced people to stay indoors. Most of Kolkata's streets were deserted on the night of the festival, which usually attracts thousands of people to visit the Kali Puja pandals and see the dazzling lights of the city.
The West Bengal government had advised people to take necessary precautions in view of the weather forecast. Fishermen warn to stay away from the sea due to cyclone and stormy winds.
Due to the storm, wind gusts with speeds reaching 40 to 50 km/h with gusts up to 60 km/h are forecast over southern Assam and surrounding Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura during the next 6 hours. The Meteorology Department said that the speed of the winds will gradually decrease.
Stormy winds reaching 40-50 km/h with gusts up to 60 km/h are very likely to prevail in the northern Bay of Bengal and coastal Bangladesh.
In view of the cyclonic storms, the Department of Meteorology has issued a warning to fishermen to stay away from fishing and any business related work in these areas.
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